Ivory Coast coach calls Schweinsteiger comments 'racist'

Ivory Coast manager Emerse Fae has described comments made by former Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger about his team's playing style as potentially racist. Schweinsteiger, speaking before Germany's 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast in their 2026 World Cup Group E match, said Fae's team were 'a bit African football' and 'not so conditioned by tactics.'

Fae's Response

After Ivory Coast qualified for the World Cup knockout stage for the first time in their history, Fae addressed the remarks. 'I think it's sad,' Fae said following Ivory Coast's 2-0 win over Curacao in Philadelphia on Thursday, which secured second place in Group E. 'Schweinsteiger was a very good player; I have always loved him as a midfielder and the way he understood football. When I heard his comments, I was disappointed in the man.'

'It is odd he would speak that way. We could call it racist, if we were calling a spade a spade,' Fae added. 'I don't agree with him, but I have no other solution other than to work with things as they are. All I can show is that on the pitch African teams are not just physical, we are technical and tactical.'

Context of the Comments

Speaking as a commentator on German broadcaster ARD before the June 20 match, Schweinsteiger said when asked about Ivory Coast's style: 'A bit African football, a bit unorthodox, a bit wild, a bit perhaps also not so conditioned by tactics. We must be prepared for it to be unpredictable.' The comments have sparked controversy in German media.

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, attending the World Cup in New York, declined to comment on the matter. 'Now you want to carry on the subject. No, no, I have no chance. I have no chance to answer this question. Everybody likes it so you bring me in this situation. It's not my job that everybody likes it, but this is a serious subject, and I don't even know what is appropriate to say. For African people it's one thing, for other people it's another thing, and I'm not here,' Klopp told journalists on Wednesday.

Ivory Coast's World Cup Journey

Despite losing to Germany, Ivory Coast advanced to the knockout stage with victories over Ecuador and Curacao in Group E. They will face France or Norway in the first knockout round on June 30 in Arlington, Texas. Fae expressed hope that Schweinsteiger's remarks were merely clumsy rather than indicative of deeper bias. 'I can only hope it is a clumsy statement, rather than something going on in his mind. If that's what he thinks, he is free to do so,' Fae said.