Ivory Coast coach blasts Bastian Schweinsteiger’s ‘racist’ African football labels

PHILADELPHIA — Ivory Coast’s head coach, Emerse Faé, hit back at comments made by former Germany player Bastian Schweinsteiger, describing them as racist stereotypes about African football.

Before Germany faced Ivory Coast in a recent match, Schweinsteiger shared his thoughts on ARD, suggesting that the Ivorian team could be unpredictable and lacked tactical discipline. He described their style as “a bit African football, a bit unorthodox, a bit wild.”

Following Ivory Coast’s historic qualification for the World Cup knockout stage with a 2-0 victory over Curaçao, Faé expressed his hope that Schweinsteiger’s statements were not meant to reflect his true views.

Faé remarked, “We could call it racist if we were being honest.” His comments came amidst a wider backlash against Schweinsteiger’s remarks, which many criticized as perpetuating harmful stereotypes.

Sport commentator Patrick Schnitzler voiced concerns on Instagram about “racist prejudices that we all pass on unnoticed,” while journalist Philipp Awounou noted in Der Spiegel that Schweinsteiger’s descriptions seemed rooted in outdated colonial associations, though he did not label him as outright racist.

Faé emphasized that the Ivorian team combines intelligence and strategy with physical strength to reach this level in the FIFA World Cup 2026. He questioned whether Schweinsteiger sought to sensationalize his commentary by invoking a tired narrative.

“I was disappointed when I heard his words,” Faé added. “It’s unusual for someone to express themselves that way.”