Published on 6/27/2026
Former German star Bastian Schweinsteiger defended the statements he made before the match between Germany and Ivory Coast in the 2026 World Cup, after he was subjected to widespread criticism and accusations of racism by the coach of the Côte d’Ivoire national team.
Schweinsteiger, who works as an analyst for the German broadcast network ARD during the tournament, described African football as “chaotic,” “unconventional,” and “perhaps not very dependent on the tactical aspect,” statements that sparked great controversy in sports circles.
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In a statement published by the German network on Friday, the 41-year-old 2014 world champion confirmed that he was talking only about football and not about people, saying: “That was a football analysis, nothing more and nothing less. I had no intention of offending anyone.”
For his part, the German network’s sports director, Axel Balkowski, defended Schweinsteiger, explaining that his comments came within the framework of his assessment of the Ivory Coast national team’s playing style based on his observations of recent matches.
He added: “The talk was not about individuals, but rather about a technical reading of football. I do not see any form of racism in these statements, not even in the words used.”
The coach of the Côte d’Ivoire national team, Emers Fay, had sharply criticized the former German player after his team’s 2-0 victory over the Curacao national team and its qualification to the knockout rounds.
Faye said: “I feel sad and disappointed. I always considered Schweinsteiger to be a great player and admired him a lot, but when I heard these statements I was disappointed in the man himself. When someone has such great knowledge of football, it is strange that he makes comments that could be described as racist if we want to call it what they are.”
Balkowski responded to these criticisms by stressing that a direct meeting between Fay and Schweinsteiger during the tournament might dispel the existing misunderstanding, saying: “I am confident that the Ivory Coast coach would reconsider his impression if he had the opportunity to speak directly with Bastien. Perhaps such an opportunity will arise during the World Cup.”
