For all the talk of how the United States has embraced football, it became clear there is still some way to go to complete the conversion after newly arrived Bastian Schweinsteiger was asked if he thought his club, Chicago Fire, could win the World Cup.
Chicago is a huge sports city, boasting fanatical followers of ice hockey, American football, basketball and baseball. Last year, 60,000 even turned out to watch Ireland shock New Zealand in a rugby union test. But not everybody has quite bought into the “other football”.
Schweinsteiger, who helped Germany win the sport’s ultimate trophy in 2014, was facing the media on Wednesday after his move from Manchester United and though he has excellent English, the midfielder was understandably bemused when asked if he felt his arrival might help Fire win the World Cup.
A team official hurriedly whispered that the question must refer to the World Club Cup but while Schweinsteiger was preparing to answer, the reporter rephrased the question, making it painfully obvious he was indeed referring to the most-watched sporting event in the world. General Manager Nelson Rodriguez stepped in to gently explain to the reporter that clubs do not compete for the World Cup — a tournament where the United States has featured in the last seven editions, reaching the knockout stage in four of them.
Instead he suggested that Schweinsteiger treat the question as an enquiry about a more modest, but eminently more achievable ambition — winning the MLS Cup. “I think in football everything is realistic and I always believe in the team which I play for that you can win the game even if it’s against the best team in the world,” Schweinsteiger said, presumably not in reference to Fire’s chances against Brazil. “You have a chance to win and I experienced that a lot in my career that everything is possible.” Almost everything.
Schweinsteiger said he is ready to make an immediate start to his Major League Soccer career. The 32-year-old former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder told reporters he was available to make his debut in Chicago’s clash with Montreal Impact tomorrow if selected.
“I am 32 years old. I am ready, but of course I need more training sessions to have the right rhythm, to be where I want to see myself,” Schweinsteiger said. 
“My head is more than 100%. I feel quite comfortable. The session was pretty intense today and I could do it, so that was good. I was preparing before I came here and, of course, I need some days more training but I feel I am ready whenever the coach needs me.”
Schweinsteiger said his swift departure from the Premier League giants after just under two years with the club meant he was unable to say a proper goodbye to his Old Trafford teammates. “It was not so easy because the decision was a bit late so I couldn’t say a proper goodbye to the team,” Schweinsteiger said. “Also they had an away match, so I couldn’t really tell them because I didn’t want the focus on me, but on the team. I had a great time there, especially with the teammates and the staff.”
Schweinsteiger is reported to have signed a one-year deal with Chicago as a designated player, meaning he can be paid outside of MLS salary restrictions. He is set to earn $4.5mn for his season in the Windy City.
Chicago coach Veljko Paunovic was coy about whether Schweinsteiger would play this weekend. “Obviously, he is going to be available. We are not going to reveal our plans here,” he said. “But we still have a talk to have and discuss how he feels and more things about the team and how we want to play. So be ready.”