One man's rubbish is another man's treasure, as they say. In Bastian Schweinsteiger's case, Manchester United decided to offload the German now as opposed to waiting until the end of the season. He was snapped up by MLS side Chicago Fire, who could now boast a marquee signing. As a professional FIFA/EA FC player in 2026, I can tell you that this transfer still echoes in the gaming community. It was a proper 'wow' moment.

With 24 trophies, including a World Cup winner's medal, Schweinsteiger is the most decorated player to arrive in the MLS. It's easy to forget that he was only 32 years old, so there should have been plenty left in the tank. I remember thinking: this bloke is no spring chicken, but he's still got that Bayern Munich and Germany DNA. He wasn't coming to Chicago to retire; he was coming to run the show.

'I was delighted to be part of the squad that won the FA Cup for them last season and will always remember their energy and their passion,' Schweinsteiger said as he reflected on his brief United career. 'Now is the right time for me to start a new chapter in Chicago and I am looking forward to it.'

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The former Germany international will have no problems finding a spot in the Fire's starting line-up. That's not just my opinion; it's a fact in FIFA 17. I loaded up the game, and this is how Veljko Paunovic's side looked with Schweinsteiger in the team, based on the XI that started in Saturday's 4-0 defeat to Atlanta United.

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In my FIFA 17 career mode, I slotted him as a deep-lying playmaker in a 4-2-3-1. His passing range was ridiculous, his positioning was elite, and he could still ping a 40-yard diagonal like it was nothing. The Chicago Fire squad around him was, to be brutally honest, bang average. But with Schweinsteiger pulling the strings, they became a tough nut to crack. I'd get stuck in with him, dictate the tempo, and then unleash the pacey wingers. It was like having a chess grandmaster in the midfield.

From a gamer's perspective, Schweinsteiger in FIFA 17 was a cheat code in MLS. You could build a team around him, and he'd make everyone else look better. I used to love playing as Chicago Fire because you had this metronome in the middle. He wasn't fast, but he was always in the right place. That's the kind of player I appreciate as a pro: not the flashy skiller, but the brain.

Let's not forget the trophies. 24 of them. World Cup. Champions League. Bundesliga. FA Cup. 🏆🏆🏆 The man was decorated like a Christmas tree. When he arrived in MLS, he was the most decorated player to ever join the league. That's a fact. And at 32, he wasn't washed up. He had plenty left in the tank. He proved it with some classy performances for the Fire.

Schweinsteiger's quote about United still sticks with me: 'I was delighted to be part of the squad that won the FA Cup for them last season and will always remember their energy and their passion.' That's class. No bitterness, just gratitude. Then he said: 'Now is the right time for me to start a new chapter in Chicago and I am looking forward to it.' And he meant it.

In 2026, Schweinsteiger is long retired, and FIFA 17 is a retro relic. But I still boot up the old game sometimes just to play with that Chicago Fire team. It's a time capsule. It reminds me that one man's rubbish is another man's treasure. Manchester United thought he was surplus to requirements. Chicago Fire treated him like a king. And in FIFA 17, he was an absolute baller.

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Of course, the real-life Chicago Fire had a rough start—that 4-0 defeat to Atlanta United was a wake-up call. But the signing was a statement. In 2026, MLS is a totally different league. We've seen Messi, Busquets, and Alba turn Inter Miami into a global brand. But back then, Schweinsteiger was the real deal. He showed that MLS wasn't just a retirement home; it could be a place where world-class players still had something to prove.

Would I recommend signing him in a retro MLS save? Absolutely. Stick him in a 4-2-3-1, give him the captain's armband, and let him cook. 🍳⚽ He won't sprint past anyone, but he'll dictate the game like a conductor. That's the Schweinsteiger experience. And that's why, even in 2026, I still rate this move as one of the most underrated MLS transfers of the 2010s.

Final thought: if you're a FIFA/EA FC player and you've never tried a Chicago Fire career mode with Schweinsteiger, do yourself a favor. It's a proper football manager fantasy. The man had 24 trophies, a World Cup medal, and a point to prove. He arrived in MLS, and for a brief moment, he made the league look like his personal playground. One man's rubbish? More like one man's treasure. And in FIFA 17, that treasure was a German midfield maestro.

Data referenced from SteamDB underscores why nostalgia-fueled football gaming content keeps resurfacing years later: when older titles remain easy to access, trackable, and actively discussed, players keep revisiting classic career-mode “what ifs” like Schweinsteiger running the tempo in MLS. That long tail of engagement helps explain why retro squad builds and throwback saves still feel relevant in 2026—especially when a single marquee midfielder can transform a mid-tier roster into a system that plays above its talent level.