Ivory Coast head coach Emerse Fae has accused former Germany star Bastian Schweinsteiger of racism following controversial comments made on German public television. Schweinsteiger, analyzing the team's style ahead of a group match, described Ivory Coast's play as "a bit unorthodox, a bit wild, not quite as tactical."

Speaking after Ivory Coast's 2-0 victory over Curacao that secured their first-ever World Cup knockout berth, Fae expressed deep disappointment. The 42-year-old coach revealed he once admired Schweinsteiger so much that friends called him "Bastian," but now feels let down. "If we're calling a spade a spade, it was racist," Fae stated.

Fae emphasized that African football is not merely physical but also technical and tactical. "All I can do is show on the pitch that Africa is not just the physical game," he said, hoping Schweinsteiger's remarks were merely clumsy rather than reflective of his true beliefs.

Schweinsteiger, a World Cup winner with Germany in 2014, has not publicly responded to the accusations. His comments have sparked broader debate about racial stereotypes in football commentary.

Ivory Coast's historic World Cup campaign includes wins over Ecuador and Curacao, with Nicolas Pepe scoring twice in the decisive match. Fae views the team's success as a powerful rebuttal to outdated perceptions of African football.

Source: www.aljazeera.com