Schweinsteiger Found Redemption at Chicago Fire After Being Undervalued by Mourinho

Bastian Schweinsteiger got benched at Manchester United. The truth? José Mourinho, who always bragged about being the tactical genius, didn’t know what to do with the German midfielder. After practically freezing him out on the bench, the Portuguese coach let Schweinsteiger leave United in 2017. His next stop? Major League Soccer (MLS), more specifically, the Chicago Fire. What seemed like the beginning of the end for a World Cup champion’s career turned into an incredible comeback. And you know what? Mourinho, never one to shy away from drama, even admitted he made a big mistake.

It’s not every day you see a world-class player end up in the U.S., especially one who had won a World Cup just three years prior. What’s fascinating about Schweinsteiger’s story is how he turned what looked like a downgrade into a reinvention of his career, winning over the hearts of American fans along the way.

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In late March 2017, Schweinsteiger got the green light to join the Chicago Fire. At that moment, it felt like a bittersweet ending to a brilliant career. Manchester United just let him go, no fanfare. Mourinho, without much explanation, let the German seek refuge in the U.S. To make things worse, it was only after he left that Mourinho, in a rare moment of regret, said he felt bad for how he treated Schweinsteiger. That already says a lot about how underappreciated the German was at Old Trafford. But when Schweinsteiger set foot in the United States, things changed. MLS became the stage for a new chapter in his career. In his debut with Chicago Fire on April 1, 2017, he scored. From that point on, everything shifted.

Schweinsteiger wasn’t just another player looking for a final round of applause. He became the cornerstone of a team hungry for success. The Chicago Fire, after seasons of disasters and no playoff appearances, found the leader they desperately needed in the German star. And let’s be real, he didn’t let them down. By midseason in 2017, Schweinsteiger had already pushed the team to the top of the MLS standings. Fans were over the moon, and recognition came fast: he was named to the "MLS All-Star Fan XI" alongside his striking partner, Nemanja Nikolić, to face the mighty Real Madrid in the league’s All-Star Game.

What makes this story even more surprising is that Schweinsteiger didn’t just bring talent to the field. He brought a champion’s mentality. For Schweinsteiger, winning was a habit. He led the Chicago Fire back to the playoffs after a long five-year drought. And by the end of 2017, the club was so thrilled with his impact that they activated a clause to extend his contract for another year.

But of course, not everything was a perfect fairytale. Schweinsteiger had his highs and lows, like any player. There were games where he was the hero, and others where the team just couldn’t keep up with his drive to win. On April 29, 2018, for example, he scored and assisted in a 2-2 draw against Toronto FC. Then, on August 5, he shined again with a long-distance goal against Real Salt Lake, but unfortunately, Chicago lost 2-1. These moments show that despite his brilliance, the team didn’t always have the same consistency he brought to the field.

Schweinsteiger’s impact wasn’t just technical. He transformed the Chicago Fire into a team that was once again respected. In the U.S., where soccer still fights for space alongside traditional sports like American football and baseball, having a name like Schweinsteiger made people sit up and pay attention to MLS. He became a bridge between the glamor of European soccer and the growing spirit of the sport in the United States.

To me, there’s a clear lesson here. The talent and class of a player like Schweinsteiger don’t just disappear overnight. Mourinho, despite being one of the world’s best coaches, failed to realize that in time. And while United went their way without the German, Schweinsteiger reinvented himself in Chicago. He could’ve been bitter, blaming the coach who dismissed him. But instead, he embraced the opportunity and proved he still had a lot to offer, even in a league many consider second-tier.

Schweinsteiger’s move to MLS wasn’t a demotion. It was a new chance, an opportunity to rewrite his own story away from the relentless spotlight of Europe. And let’s be honest, he did it with style. From that first goal to his last appearances in a Chicago Fire jersey, Schweinsteiger showed he still had surprises up his sleeve.