Updated March 30, 2017 11:53:32

Just when you thought Americans were starting to get football, they go and do something like this.

That is probably unfair as football, or soccer, is making great strides in the United States, with understanding of the Beautiful Game getting better all the time.

But this…

In case you missed it, and there's a fair chance you had, Bastian Schweinsteiger, the German all-purpose midfield general of World Cup-winning fame, recently transferred from Manchester United to Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire.

Yes, Schweinsteiger had a terrible time at Manchester United, and was basically frozen out of the squad by the time he left — essentially he's past it as a top-level footballer — but he was the talisman of a wonderful generation of German talent that went on to win the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. So this was a big deal for the MLS.

Such a big deal, in fact, that news organisations in Chicago obviously sent a few non-football-minded journalists to his first Fire press conference.

This was the first question Schweini was asked:

"With your addition to this team, is it a fair expectation to see a clear pathway towards a World Cup, uh, competition, come out of Chicago?"

Sorry, what? Did the reporter just ask in a very convoluted way, whether a struggling club team in a mid-level league could win the World Cup, a tournament for national teams?

The look on the German's face said it all. He asked the bloke sitting next to him for clarification. Or maybe he was checking what planet he had landed on.

Surely the reporter just got his words tangled? Oh wait … he's going to have another crack at it. This should clear up the confusion.

Take two:

"Let me re-phrase. Do you expect now that you're here Bass-teeyan, that a World Cup goal for Chicago Fire is a realistic expectation?"

At this stage Bass-teeyan was already giggling and a club official decided it was time to intervene.

"Well, not the World Cup. We as a club don't play for the World Cup.

"We'll adjust it to MLS Cup."

From there, Schweinsteiger manages to mumble a typically cliched response, showing a similar level of composure and strength of character as when he completely bossed Argentina's midfield in the 2010 World Cup quarter-final.

That's why Chicago was so keen to sign him. Anyway, if you can make it through the whole video without howling in embarrassment, well done.

Come on America, do you even soccer?

Topics: soccer-world-cup, soccer, sport, united-states, germany

First posted March 30, 2017 11:07:55