We knew Manchester United had a lot of fans in the Far East, but we hadn’t realised they’d infiltrated Chinese toy factories.
Of course there’s no proof that’s the case, but this German army action figure called Bastian has an uncanny resemblance to a United player of the same name.
We’re not sure Herr Schweinsteiger will appreciate a Nazi soldier bearing his likeness, but it’s impossible to deny that the figurine looks like him.
World War II toy soldier made in China looks like Bastian Schweinsteiger & is called Bastian https://t.co/OiqlM4LXGI pic.twitter.com/VAlB6u2XDA
— German at Portsmouth (@GermanAtPompey) October 22, 2015
According to German publication Bild, the midfielder – who joined United from Bayern Munich over the summer – is considering legal action against the manufacturer.
But the newspaper quotes an employee of the company who produced the figurine, who describes the likeness as “pure coincidence”.
“We don’t sell any figures which resemble footballers. It is a complete coincidence that the figure ‘Bastian’ looks like Schweinsteiger,” a spokesman added.
“We thought that all Germans look like that. Bastian is also a very common name in Germany.”
The Nazi Bastian comes with winter and summer uniforms – almost like home and away kits, eh?
