It is little surprise that such a gifted footballer modelled himself on a player from South America. “I idolised Maradona for the way he played football, although I didn’t envy the hype that surrounded him. Unfortunately I have never met him in person, but his ball skills, control and dribbling were simply perfect,” is Schneider’s verdict on the Argentine genius.

Schneider last displayed his incredible versatility at the FIFA Confederations Cup 2005 when he was used as a left-back in the third-place play-off against Mexico, taking to the unfamiliar position with unerring ease. “The Confederations Cup was a great experience. The atmosphere in the stadia was fantastic and we confounded a few critics with our performances,” claims Schneider enthusiastically.

‘Schnix’, as his team-mates call him, made his international debut on 29 July 1999 at the FIFA Confederations Cup in the USA. His international career stagnated somewhat for a time, but Schneider has been a permanent fixture in the German line-up since Korea/Japan 2002, where his consistent performances were instrumental in Germany reaching the final. Indeed, 2002 was a particularly notable year for Schneider. His club Bayer Leverkusen reached the final of the UEFA Champions League, where they succumbed 2-1 to Real Madrid after an enthralling battle.

Leverkusen links
Schneider has extended his contract with Leverkusen until 2009. The midfielder, who was used as a defender in his earlier days by then club coach Klaus Augenthaler, will be 36 when that deal expires and ready to hang up his boots. However, before that day comes, the computer and horseracing fan still has one major ambition left to fulfil with his country. He makes no secret of his desire to hold the FIFA World Cup Trophy in his hands before he retires from the game.

“I have always said it would be the absolute pinnacle. I have never won a trophy and I really want to hold a cup in my hands at some stage. And if I have ‘only’ won the World Cup at the end of my career, I will certainly not be disappointed. If we continue to progress under Jurgen Klinsmann as we have been doing recently, then we will be well placed to win the World Cup,” insists Schneider.

As far as the Leverkusen star is concerned, the top three teams at the upcoming tournament are as good as decided: “Germany first, Brazil second and Argentina third.” Nothing less will suffice for Schneider, a player clearly committed to taking his career to new heights at this summer’s showpiece event on German soil.