Bastian Schweinsteiger isn't generally known as a "mixtape footballer" eager to humiliate opponents with audacious displays of trickery on the ball. The German international rose to global fame primarily for his exemplary work as a midfield general and tempo-setter.
But it turns out he has a few of those clubs in his bag, too.
As the Chicago Fire defended their 1-0 lead in the late going of Saturday's visit to D.C. United, Schweinsteiger found himself deep in the corner of the pitch, surrounded by three D.C. players (who we'll leave nameless here for their own emotional health).
Instead of taking the ball to the corner to kill time, however, the Designated Player just embarrassed them with a bewitching sequence of spins, dragbacks and Cruyff turns along the endline...
Bastian got 'em real bad. pic.twitter.com/vyZHL9Jv2X
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 20, 2017
...before serving up a tempting cross for teammate Nemanja Nikolic. Alas, the Fire striker spurned the chance, firing his shot well high of the target.
But Chicago won nonetheless, and the damage to that United trio was already done as Basti's skillcheck went globally viral within minutes.
