Emerse Fae, the head coach of Ivory Coast, expressed concern about remarks made by former World Cup champion Bastian Schweinsteiger that he considered to be “racist.”
Ivory Coast faced Germany and lost 2-1 in their second World Cup group match thanks to a late goal from substitute Deniz Undav.
However, the contentious remarks made by former Germany international Schweinsteiger regarding the Ivorians’ style of play overshadowed the aftermath of the match.
The 2014 World Cup champion Schweinsteiger predicted that Ivory Coast will be “wild,” “unpredictable,” and “not so conditioned by tactics” in an interview with German broadcaster ARD prior to the match.
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“A bit African football, a bit unorthodox, a bit wild, a bit perhaps also not so conditioned by tactics,’ he said. ‘We must be prepared for it to be unpredictable.”
According to the Metro, Fae was questioned over Schweinsteiger’s comments after leading Ivory Coast to their first-ever World Cup knockout stage following a 2-0 victory over Curacao.
Fae Disappointed At Schweinsteiger’s Comments
The 42-year-old, who led his nation to AFCON victory in 2023, expressed disappointment at the German’s “clumsy” remarks, which he said were motivated by ingrained prejudices against African football.
“I think it’s sad,’ Fae said. ‘Schweinsteiger was a very good player; I have always loved him as a midfielder and the way he understood football. 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.”
