World Cup 2026 / African football labeled 'wild': Schweinsteiger sparks scandal

On the sidelines of the 2026 World Cup, Bastian Schweinsteiger finds himself at the center of a heated controversy in Germany. Remarks he made about "African football" before the match between Germany and Ivory Coast have triggered a wave of criticism across the country.

Bastian Schweinsteiger is going through turbulent times in Germany. As a pundit for ARD during the 2026 World Cup, the former German international is embroiled in a major controversy following comments made ahead of the Germany vs. Ivory Coast clash, which the Mannschaft won 2-1.

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In fact, while discussing the Elephants’ style of play, the former Bayern Munich midfielder referred to "African football" as "unorthodox, a bit wild, not entirely tactical." These words immediately sparked outrage in Germany, with some observers seeing racist and colonialist undertones.

Nevertheless, despite the scale of the controversy, Schweinsteiger has not issued any public apology. Furthermore, the German broadcaster has taken no disciplinary action against him. As a sign of this support, the 2014 World Cup champion was still on air last night for the England vs. Ghana match (0-0).

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

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Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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