Côte d'Ivoire head coach Emerse Fae has publicly condemned remarks made by German football legend Bastian Schweinsteiger, describing them as racist, after the former midfielder offered a dismissive assessment of African football ahead of the two nations' FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage clash.

Speaking on German broadcaster ARD before the match, Schweinsteiger told viewers what to expect from the Ivorian side. "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.

Fae calls out the stereotype

After Côte d'Ivoire secured their place in the knockout rounds, Fae addressed Schweinsteiger's words directly — and without pulling his punches. The AFCON 2023 champions argued that someone with Schweinsteiger's football knowledge should know better.

"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."

Fae insisted the continent's game has developed well beyond such outdated perceptions. "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 said.

A bid for relevance?

The Côte d'Ivoire coach also raised the possibility that Schweinsteiger's comments were motivated by a desire for attention rather than genuine belief. He expressed hope that the words were simply a clumsy misstep, while suggesting the German pundit may be chasing headlines now that his playing career has faded from the spotlight.

"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."

Fae made clear that his squad would channel their energy into football rather than the controversy, letting their performances at the FIFA World Cup 2026 speak louder than any pundit's words.