Ivory Coast coach Fae saddened by Schweinsteiger’s ‘African football’ jab
Ivory Coast head coach Emerse Fae expressed disappointment after former German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger described the Ivorian style of play as “African football,” calling it unorthodox and wild. Fae said the remarks could be interpreted as racist and emphasized that African teams are also technical and tactical. The coach’s side advanced to the World Cup knockout stage with a 2-0 win over Curacao.
- ▪Bastian Schweinsteiger, appearing as a pundit for German broadcaster ARD, said the Ivory Coast played ‘African football’ that was ‘a bit unorthodox, a bit wild.’
- ▪Emerse Fae, who once admired Schweinsteiger as a player, said he was saddened and disappointed by the comments, noting they could be seen as racist.
- ▪Ivory Coast defeated Curacao 2-0, securing their first-ever World Cup knockout‑phase appearance.
- ▪The match between Germany and Ivory Coast ended 2-1 in Germany’s favour, with the comments made before the game.
- ▪Schweinsteiger has not publicly responded to the criticism since the remarks were reported.
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Sport|World Cup 2026Ivory Coast coach Fae saddened by Schweinsteiger’s ‘African football’ jabFormer German player’s comments that ‘African football’ is ‘a bit unorthodox sometimes, a bit wild’ sparked controversy.ListenListen (3 mins)SaveClick here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoIvory Coast head coach Emerse Fae says he admired Bastian Schweinsteiger as a player [Robert Cianflone/Getty Images/AFP]By ReutersPublished On 26 Jun 202626 Jun 2026Even in one of the most joyous moments in his country’s footballing history, Ivory Coast manager Emerse Fae found himself managing sadness over the remarks of a former role model that have sparked debate about potential racist connotations.Nicolas Pepe’s brace guided the Ivory…
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