Bastian Schweinsteiger has been called ‘racist’ by Ivory Coast manager Emerse Fae after describing the country’s style of football as ‘African’ and ‘wild’.
Before Germany’s late 2-1 win over Ivory Coast at the World Cup last week, former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder, 41, claimed Fae’s team were ‘not conditioned by tactics’ and that their football was ‘a bit African’.
He went on to state that Germany, who narrowly beat Ivory Coast but suffered a shock 2-1 defeat by Ecuador on Thursday night, must be prepared for an ‘unpredictable’ game due to their ‘unorthodox and wild’ style of play.
Ivory Coast made history by qualifying for the World Cup knockout stages for the first time ever thanks to a 2-0 victory over Curacao on Thursday, which saw ex-Arsenal flop Nicolas Pepe score a superb double to seal second place in Group E.
Asked after the match about Schweinsteiger’s remarks, manager Fae said: ‘I think it’s sad. Schweinsteiger was a very good player. I have always loved him as a midfielder and the way he understood football.
Bastian Schweinsteiger (above) has been called ‘racist’ by Ivory Coast manager Emerse Fae
Fae admitted he was ‘very sad’ to hear Schweinsteiger say Ivory Coast played ‘a bit African’
Ivory Coast celebrate reaching the World Cup knockouts for the first time in their history
‘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.
‘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.
‘I can only hope it is a clumsy statement, rather than something going on in his mind. If that’s what he thinks, he is free to do so.’
Fae went on to suggest that Schweinsteiger’s aim may have been to attract more attention as a pundit by making controversial remarks.
Schweinsteiger, speaking as a commentator on German platform ARD before Germany’s 2-1 win over Ivory Coast, said after being asked about the team’s style of play: ‘A bit African football, a bit unorthodox, a bit wild, a bit perhaps also not so conditioned by tactics. We must be prepared for it to be unpredictable.’
His remarks immediately caused controversy and led to ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp storming out of an interview after being asked about the incident.
Klopp, who also has been working as a pundit at the World Cup, appeared visibly frustrated when he was asked about the comments by a journalist for DW, refusing to get drawn into the row before the reporter could even finish his question.
‘And now you want to carry on this subject,’ Klopp said. ‘No, no – I have no chance to answer this question.
‘Everybody likes it, so you bring me into this situation. It’s not my job that everybody likes it but it is a serious subject and I don’t even know what is appropriate to say.
Jurgen Klopp stormed out of an interview when asked about Schweinsteiger’s comments
‘For African people it’s one thing, for other people it’s another thing, and I’m not here.
‘Thank God I thought nobody asked me about that but you found a moment and surprisingly you are German. That surprised me so much.’
Meanwhile, Schweinsteiger’s remarks have been met with widespread criticism across social media and by commentators in Germany.
Philipp Awounou, a Black German journalist and author, told Der Spiegel: ‘Behind attributions like ‘wild’ and ‘unpredictable’ are stereotypes which are older than football and which have racist, colonial roots.
‘In the past, Black people of African heritage were stigmatized as uncivilised (‘wild’), different (‘unorthodox’) and potentially dangerous (‘unpredictable’).’
Awounou also insisted Schweinsteiger was not a racist while describing his comments as ‘problematic’.
German content creator Patrick Schnitzler said Schweinsteiger, a member of the World Cup winning team in 2014 and capped 120 times by his country, had been guilty of ‘racial stereotypes’.
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