Germany 
Still just 23, Schweinsteiger can already be considered a mainstay of both the German national team and club side Bayern Munich.
A regular in Bayern's matchday squad at the age of 19, a then-uncapped Schweinsteiger was one of the late additions to Germany's Euro 2004 squad and went on to feature in all three games Rudi Voller's men played there.
The Bavarian-born youngster, who joined Bayern aged 14, has long been heralded as a future midfield general for club and country, but has played the vast majority of his senior football to date down the right flank.
Blessed with high levels of stamina, yet Schweinsteiger is much more than just a bundle of energy with his ability to make a yard of space and produce slide-rule passes making him stand out even at the highest level.
Four times a Bundesliga champion, his brilliance has not been confined to domestic action - with two wonder goals ensuring Germany took third place in the 2006 World Cup and another three during qualifying for this tournament.
The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernando Torres are likely to be among the frontrunners to be named player of the tournament, but Schweinsteiger has everything in his locker needed to challenge the English-based duo.
