(foto: Instagram)
BILD deputy editor Matthias Bieder criticized Bastian Schweinsteiger for his public split from Ana Ivanovic, calling his actions disappointing and urging him to think of his children first.
Amid widespread reports and now-confirmed images of Bastian Schweinsteiger with a new partner following his reported split from Ana Ivanovic, the public backlash has reached a boiling point — and one of Germany’s most influential newspapers has joined the criticism.
Matthias Bieder, deputy editor of BILD, published a powerful open letter addressed directly to Schweinsteiger. The column, written “from a father to a father,” accuses the former footballer of abandoning his responsibilities as a family man.
“I thought you were a hero,” Bieder wrote. “But those days are over now. The only people you have to be a role model for now are your children.”
The letter referenced Schweinsteiger’s celebrated past with Germany’s 2014 World Cup team, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United, but emphasized that these achievements no longer define his legacy.
“We’ve all had our wild moments,” the editor admitted, before criticizing the timing and public nature of Schweinsteiger’s apparent new relationship. He urged the football legend to consider the emotional impact on his three young sons, aged 7, 6, and 2.
“Be a hero to your children,” Bieder pleaded. “Not because you’re good at football, but because you wipe their tears and read them bedtime stories. You’re their hero when you put them first.”
The editorial concluded with a stark warning: “I’m afraid you’re ruining it.”
The emotional and highly personal piece struck a chord across German media, with many echoing the call for Schweinsteiger to prioritize his role as a father amid his high-profile split from the Serbian tennis star.