The Ivory Coast manager Emerse Fae has accused former Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger of making racist remarks after he described the African side's playing style as 'wild' and 'a bit African football'.
Schweinsteiger, speaking as a commentator on German broadcaster ARD before Germany's 2-1 win over Ivory Coast on 20 June, said the Ivorians were 'a bit unorthodox, a bit wild, a bit perhaps also not so conditioned by tactics'. The comments resurfaced after Ivory Coast qualified for the World Cup knockouts for the first time in their history, beating Curacao 2-0 in Philadelphia on Thursday to secure second place in Group E.
“Ivory Coast manager Emerse Fae says Bastian Schweinsteiger's 'wild' comments about his team could be considered racist.”
'I think it's sad,' Fae said after the match. '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, who led Ivory Coast to Africa Cup of Nations glory in 2023, rejected the suggestion that African teams lack tactical discipline. '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.' He added that he hoped the remarks were 'a clumsy statement, rather than something going on in his mind', but warned: 'If that's what he thinks, he is free to do so.'
Schweinsteiger's comments have already caused controversy in German media. Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, attending the World Cup in New York, refused to engage with the subject when asked by journalists on Wednesday. '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.'
Ivory Coast's historic qualification for the last 32 comes despite their defeat to Germany, with the team now preparing for the knockout stage.