Schweinsteiger Sparks Racism Backlash in Germany Over Ivory Coast Remarks

Former Germany star and TV pundit Bastian Schweinsteiger drew sharp criticism after using stereotypes to describe Ivory Coast during Germany’s World Cup match against the African side over the weekend. Speaking before the Group 5 game in Toronto, which Germany won 2-1, he said on the public broadcaster ARD that Ivory Coast plays "African football," which he characterized as "sometimes a bit unconventional, a bit wild, and not really tactical." He added that Germany had to be ready for a match that could at times be unpredictable.

Schweinsteiger, who won the 2014 World Cup, was accused across German media and social networks of relying on racist stereotypes and colonial-era imagery. Critics said his comments portrayed Black players as having only physical strengths while denying them thought, planning, and tactical intelligence.

Neither Schweinsteiger nor ARD issued an apology or attempted to explain the remarks after the backlash. The controversy erupted in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup cycle and centered on his role as an analyst for Germany’s public broadcaster.