Bastian Schweinsteiger wants to continue playing for Manchester United this season, even though manager Jose Mourinho said last week that the former Germany captain is unlikely to figure in his plans.
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Bayern Munich trio Manuel Neuer, who was skipper for five of their six Euro 2016 matches, Jerome Boateng and Thomas Muller are all vying for the armband with Neuer as the favourite.
“We keep eight outfield players and Sam Johnstone as the goalkeeper [for training]”, Mourinho told MUTV.
“It meant so much to me and I feel a deep gratitude”. You will have to wait and see what happens in September, October.
A member of the victorious 2014 World Cup winning team and a veteran of several major tournaments, his shoes will be big ones to fill.
“Of course I know that the role of captain has a great symbolic significance and I am delighted with the trust that the national team coach has placed in me by naming me his captain”. Having starred for Germany in their 2014 World Cup win, Schweinsteiger exits global football as one of the greats.
United were ready to allow Schweinsteiger to join the Lisbon club on a free transfer, and were also prepared to heavily subsidise the Germany international’s salary in the Portuguese league.
“For me it is a great honour”, he said.
The match comes during a turbulent time in Schweinsteiger’s club career.
Ozil came on and his shot spiralled in off the far post on 77 minutes as Germany warmed up for their opening 2018 World Cup qualifier away to Norway on Sunday.
Germany used a largely second-string line-up and eased past a Finland team that rarely threatened.
Schweinsteiger made his debut in 2004, in a 2-0 loss to Hungary, and finished with 121 caps.
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Lothar Matthaeus, who captained Germany to the 1990 World Cup title in Italy, says Neuer is the right man for the job.
