Emerse Fae calls Schweinsteiger’s ‘African football’ comment racist

Ivory Coast manager Emerse Fae condemned Bastian Schweinsteiger’s remarks describing his team’s style as “a bit African football” on German broadcaster ARD before Germany faced Ivory Coast last weekend, calling the stereotype‑laden comments racist after his side secured a 2‑0 victory over Curacao in the group finale. Schweinsteiger said: “A bit African football, a bit unorthodox, a bit wild, a bit perhaps also not so conditioned by tactics,” warning Germany’s players to be prepared for the unpredictable. He made the statement on ARD while discussing what German players could expect from their opponents ahead of the match. Ivory Coast finished as runners‑up to Germany in Group E, securing progression to the knockout stage. Their advancement came after a 2‑0 win over Curacao in the group’s final match.

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“I think it’s sad,” Fae said, adding that he had always admired Schweinsteiger as a midfielder but was disappointed by the comments. He described the remarks as “odd” and suggested they could be called racist, while insisting there was no other solution than to work with the situation as it stands. Fae argued that African teams are not merely physical, emphasizing their technical and tactical qualities on the pitch. He expressed hope that Schweinsteiger’s statement was a clumsy one rather than a deeper mindset.

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Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp declined to comment when German media asked him about the controversy, saying he had no chance to answer and that the subject was serious. Germany later defeated Ivory Coast with a late Deniz Undav winner, securing their place in the round of 32. Ivory Coast will meet either France or Norway in their first knockout clash on 30 June in Arlington, Texas. The venue and date were set for the round‑of‑32 fixture.