Côte d’Ivoire qualified for the World Cup knockout stage for the first time yesterday after a brilliant 2-0 performance against Curaçao. In the press conference after the achievement though, manager Emerse Fae was asked about comments made by former German player Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Schweinsteiger spoke about Côte d’Ivoire before Germany’s win over them in the group stage and said on their 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.
Fae said in response to the comments:
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. 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.
Schweinsteiger has not addressed the backlash over his comments publicly, according to reports.