Currently plying his trade with MLS side Chicago Fire, Schweinsteiger’s influential hand in Germany’s success at Brazil 2014 – his third World Cup finals – means he is perfectly placed to discuss what makes a trophy-winning group tick behind the scenes.
“With that generation, we had a lot to overcome, but we came out the stronger for it and grew into a real group,” Schweinsteiger said. “On the field, you need a certain understanding, the right balance and just a good feeling. You need players who lead. You need quality – and we had that, too. To win it, everything has to click, otherwise it doesn’t happen.