Schweinsteiger signed for Bayern Munich as a youth team player on July 1, 1998 and rose through the club's youth sides. Having won the German youth championship in July 2002, Schweinsteiger quickly earned a place in the reserves, producing a string of solid third division displays.
After just two training sessions with the first team, coach Ottmar Hitzfeld gave Schweinsteiger his debut as a late substitute in a UEFA Champions League game against RC Lens in November 2002, and the youngster made an immediate impact, creating a goal for Markus Feulner within minutes. He signed a professional contract the following month and went on to appear in 14 Bundesliga games in 2002/03, helping Bayern to a league and cup double. The next season he played 26 Bundesliga games.
Schweinsteiger scored his first Bayern goal against VfL Wolfsburg in September 2003
Surprisingly sent back to Bayern's amateurs by new coach Felix Magath at the beginning of the 2004/05 season despite his international exploits of the summer in the Confederations Cup, Schweinsteiger swiftly returned to play a role in the double-winning campaign and scored in Bayern's Champions League quarter-final first-leg defeat at Chelsea FC.
He made his international debut in 2004 in a friendly against Hungary. Bayern's number 31 earned rave reviews for his Euro 2004 performances in Portugal, showing combative skills and even setting up the opening goal for Bayern teammate Michael Ballack in Germany's 2-1 loss against the Czech Republic.
He scored his first two international goals on June 8, 2005 against Russia and scored his first goal at a major tournament against Tunisia on June 18, 2005 at the Confederations Cup in Germany.
Schweinsteiger has been hailed as the new Stefan Effenberg, and he indeed bears a resemblance to the great Bayern star not only in his looks, but his playing style as well.
