Côte d’Ivoire Coach Fae Criticizes Schweinsteiger’s Racist Comments About African Football Ahead of the 2026 World Cup

Côte d’Ivoire head coach Emerse Fae criticized German legend midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger for comments he described as “racial” about African football during the current FIFA World Cup.

Before Côte d’Ivoire’s group‑stage match, Schweinsteiger appeared on German network ARD and warned viewers about what to expect from the West African side.

The 2014 World Cup winner shared his assessment of the African team, describing their style of play in remarks that later drew a sharp rebuke from Fae.

“A bit African football, a bit unorthodox, a bit wild, a bit perhaps also not so conditioned by tactics. We have to be prepared for it to be unpredictable,” Schweinsteiger said.

After Côte d’Ivoire secured a spot in the World Cup knockout stage, Fae criticized Schweinsteiger’s remarks.

The AFCON 2023 champions questioned how someone with Germany’s football knowledge could make such comments and insisted that African football has evolved well beyond outdated stereotypes.

“When you know football the way he knows it, then it’s odd that he would speak that way … which we could call racist if we were calling a spade a spade.”

“But that’s the way it is. Nowadays, we live in a world where everybody is free to say what they think. I can’t change his perspective. I can’t change the way he talks. But all I can do is show on the pitch that Africa is not just the physical game. We are very technical as well and very tactical,” he added.

Also Read: World Cup 2026: Fae Rues Cote d’Ivoire’s Defeat To Germany

Fae also suggested that Schweinsteiger’s comments might have been an attempt to generate attention rather than a reflection of his genuine beliefs.

Expressing hope that the remarks were merely poorly chosen, the Côte d’Ivoire coach said his side would focus on football rather than the controversy.

“All I can hope is that this was just a clumsy statement that it wasn’t particularly reflective of what’s in his mind, but, you know, such is life, that is football today. Nowadays, there are a lot of pundits, a lot of former players who are also looking to create a buzz.”

“He was a worldwide star but has kind of been forgotten a little bit, so he’s trying to create a buzz. Good for him, if that’s what he thinks. He’s free to do so. But we will move forward and we’ll try to ignore that.”