In a year that has seen the balance of power in world football switch from the Spanish league to the German, there must be a place in the team for the German Player of the Year. Last month FIFPro midfield selection Franck Ribery was beaten to this award by his Bayern Munich team-mate Bastian Schweinsteiger, an indication, perhaps, that the Bavarian central midfield player may also deserve Ribery's place in this team. While wingers and flair players like Ribery or Robben may be a more glamorous selection, it is Schweinsteiger (along with Lahm) who really makes both Bayern and the German national team tick. An incredibly hard working player in the middle of the park, "Schweini" has benefited greatly from switching from a wide role to the engine room and is now able to take control of a game. That was very much part of the reason for Bayern's utter dominance over Xavi and Barcelona in the Champions League. With 9 goals and 7 assists, 2012-13 was Schweinsteiger's best season for Bayern in terms of scoring and creating goals, but he offers much more than that in terms of his positioning and precise passing. The 2013-14 season has so far seen him make 83.6 passes per game with a hugely impressive 92% pass success rate.
