Ivory Coast head coach Emerse Fae has finally addressed and criticised former Germany footballer Bastian Schweinsteiger, accusing the commentator of employing outdated racial stereotypes to characterise African football teams competing in the ongoing edition of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Before Germany's group-stage encounter against Ivory Coast, Schweinsteiger cautioned viewers about what to expect from the West African powerhouse on the German television network ARD, which sparked the issue.
"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," The 2014 World Cup winner said in his pre-game analysis
Fae picked the ideal time to finally address the controversial remarks. He led Ivory Coast to a convincing 2-0 victory over Curaçao on Thursday, thereby leading 'The Elephants' into theWorld Cupknockout stages for the first time in the history of their national side. Speaking following the momentous occasion, Fae insisted on highlighting the underlying bias even though he felt the remarks were merely awkward wording.
"We could call it racist, if we were calling a spade a spade," Faé told reporters. "When I heard his comment, I was disappointed. Disappointed in the man. It is odd he would speak that way. I wonder if he was just trying to create a buzz for his broadcast career."
Fae stressed that his team uses great tactical intelligence, careful preparation, and astute strategic discipline to win games instead of relying solely on raw, uncoordinated physical attributes.
Schweinsteiger's comments have already drawn harsh criticism inGermanyfor reinforcing stereotypes from the colonial past. The comment was criticised by media analyst Patrick Schnitzler on Instagram as an illustration of "racist prejudices that we are all passing on unnoticed."
Prominent journalist Philipp Awounou wrote in Der Spiegel magazine that although he did not think the former Bayern Munich star was personally malicious, the language used directly contributed to deeply flawed colonial-era stereotypes that portray African athletes as chaotic or lacking in mental discipline.
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