Former Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe has surprised fans by naming the best player he played with at the club. Instead of picking Cristiano Ronaldo or Wayne Rooney, he chose former Bayern Munich star Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Tuanzebe, who spent six seasons at Manchester United but played only 37 games, shared the pitch with many top players. He was later loaned to Aston Villa but had the chance to train alongside legends like Zlatan Ibrahimović, Ashley Young, and Michael Carrick.

Speaking on The Overlap, Tuanzebe explained why he picked Schweinsteiger. He recalled facing the German midfielder in training when he was just 19 years old. Despite Schweinsteiger being in his mid-30s, Tuanzebe said he couldn’t get near him.

“He was three, four, five steps ahead of me. He knew how to control the ball and make me lose balance,” Tuanzebe said.

He also praised Schweinsteiger’s skills inside the box, saying, “It was like he could slow down time. The ball moved so fast, but he was always in control.”

Schweinsteiger played for Manchester United from 2015 to 2017 before leaving for MLS side Chicago Fire. He retired in January 2020.

Tuanzebe’s choice might surprise some, but it shows how much he admired Schweinsteiger’s intelligence and skill on the pitch.