One of the defining aspects of the 19th World Cup has been the critical role played by midfielders in the success of their teams. Argentina and Brazil have felt the absence of an influential player in the middle of the park the hard way. The World Cup in South Africa has strengthened the old belief about the importance of a midfield general.
Forwards and defenders have their value too, but there is no doubt that a midfielder is a team’s heartbeat. And we are talking about players in the class of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Wesley Sneijder, Xavi and Andres Iniesta. Of the four semifinalists, only Uruguay lack a star who can pull strings from the centre-line and beyond.
Joachim Loew was a worried man when Michael Ballack was forced out of the World Cup with an injury. Schweinsteiger has filled in the hole left by his captain admirably. The versatile Bayern Munich midfielder has been a revelation here. An attacking player who loves to roam in the final third, he has adapted to the central role like he is born to rule that area.
Schweinsteiger is a complete package. He can score and create with equal felicity. His set-piece prowess came to the fore when he delivered an inch-perfect freekick to the waiting head of Thomas Mueller in the quarterfinal on Saturday.
Schweinsteiger doesn’t jettison his defensive responsibilities as a result of his penchant to foray forward.
He tracks back when his team’s needs a helping hand deep in their own half. Lionel Messi would have run riot had not Schweini, along with Sami Khedira, shackled him so effectively. There was no surprise when the Bayern Munich star was named man of the match against Argentina.
Mueller and Miroslav Klose are taking all the plaudits for their goals but Loew would know who is most valuable to his playing XI. For instance, Germany have someone — Cacau or Mario Gomez — to step in for the suspended Mueller in the semi-final against Spain but no one is there fill in the shoes of Schweini in case of an injury or suspension.
Real Madrid’s biggest mistake last season was not signing Cristiano Ronaldo for an obscene sum. It was the decision of the Spanish giants to ease out Wesley Sneijder. The Dutch midfielder haunted the Real bosses at Santiago Bernabeu — where else — in the final of the Champions League on May 23.