German national team midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is the poster-child for German soccer. The star player has never represented a team in any other country except Germany in his professional career. Watch the video above to hear Schweinsteiger’s philosophies about his favorite game.
Schweinsteiger recently told media in a press conference about his opinion on the punishment for misconduct during games and how they must be harsher, although he himself got a yellow card in the game against France in the quarterfinals.
He announced his distress over Neymar’s injury and how he is saddened by Brazil’s key player’s misfortune, but also said it worries him that because of the injury, it might unite Brazil as a team when they play them in the semifinals of the World Cup.
Here’s what you need to know about the German talent:
1. He Has Been Playing For Bayern Munich for 12 Years
Schweinsteiger joined the pros in 2002 at the age of 17 when he was signed to Bayern Munich.
In his 12 years playing for the club, Schweinsteiger has made 322 appearances and has scored 40 goals. In total, he has won 7 German Cups, 7 Bundesliga titles and 2 UEFA Cups. Watch the video above to see some of his best highlights.
2. His Annual Salary is $13.6 Million
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Schweinsteiger has one of the highest annual salaries in the league and was ranked 38th for highest salaries in the sport in 2012.
By 2013, the Bayern Munich star’s contract was worth $200,000-a-week until 2016 with an added $450,000 in bonuses per year.
His endorsement deals with companies such as Right Guard, Adidas and Funny-Frisch adds up to an extra $10.8 million a year to make his net worth approximately $27.2 million as of 2013.
3. He Was a Key Player in the 2010 World Cup Too
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Schweinsteiger played an important role in the 2010 World Cup both on the front and back lines. He was named Man of the Match with 2 assists while covering Lionel Messi in the quarterfinals vs. Argentina. He finished the tournament with 3 assists.
After taking Germany to third place in the tournament, his leadership role led to his title as one of the 10 best players of the 2010 World Cup as a Golden Ball award candidate.
4. He Was named the 2013 German Player of the Year
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Schweinsteiger won 92 votes out of 527 to clinch the 2013 German Player of the Year Award. German sports journalists chose him over Thomas Mueller (87 votes) and Franck Ribery (85 votes).
Schweinsteiger was surprised that he won the award, commenting:
It really does surprise me a bit, for there were times [during the past season] when reports about me were rather critical. This, too, is a title for the whole team.”
5. His Girlfriend was Featured in Sports Illustrated
Schweinsteiger’s girlfriend, German model Sarah Brandner, has been featured in magazines such as GQ Germany and in the 2010 Sports Illustrated Body Painting Issue. Watch the video above to see her shoot in SI.
The couple has been together since 2007.