Schweinsteiger misses ARD broadcast start after Boston traffic jam, jogs to stadium
Former Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger was stuck in a two-hour traffic jam on his way to the France-Morocco World Cup quarterfinal in Foxborough, forcing him to jog the final stretch and arrive sweaty, ten minutes after the ARD broadcast began.
The traffic jam
Bastian Schweinsteiger, former German international and ARD television expert, was stuck in a traffic jam on his way to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, a Boston suburb, ahead of the World Cup quarterfinal between France and Morocco. He had been in the gridlock for two hours, with navigation still showing 50 minutes to the venue. In a video message sent to the studio, he apologized to moderator Esther Sedlaczek.
Dear Esther, I'm sorry, I'm stuck in a full, full, full traffic jam. I've never experienced anything like this in my life. We've been in traffic for two hours and it still shows 50 minutes to the stadium.
The sprint
With the broadcast about to begin, Schweinsteiger decided to abandon the car and jog the remaining distance. ARD showed footage of him running at a solid pace past the stationary vehicles. Sedlaczek noted that Foxborough can take an hour from downtown Boston even without congestion, and praised his commitment.
Basti knows he's needed here, so he's giving it his all. He's on his way here, at a full sprint, past the cars.
On-air substitution
As the pre-match show started, journalist Philipp Sohmer, a Bundesliga commentator for ARD's Sportschau, sat in Schweinsteiger's usual seat next to Sedlaczek. About ten minutes into the broadcast, Schweinsteiger arrived, visibly sweaty and carrying a hand fan. He took over from Sohmer and immediately began analyzing the quarterfinal.
Schweinsteiger's quips
Once on air, Schweinsteiger joked about his impromptu warm-up. He said the running readiness for a quarterfinal was definitely there, and that he now understood the point of hydration breaks. After the segment, he quipped that he was heading straight for an ice bath.
The running readiness for a quarterfinal was definitely there. Now I understand the hydration break.
Is it hot here. I'm going straight into the ice bath now.
- Schweinsteiger stuck in traffic jam on way to Foxborough stadium.
- Sends apology video to ARD studio, says still 50 minutes to stadium.
- Abandons car and runs past stationary traffic.
- Philipp Sohmer fills in as expert alongside Esther Sedlaczek.
- Schweinsteiger arrives sweaty with hand fan, takes over analysis.
- Jokes about hydration break and heads for ice bath.
