JURGEN KLOPP stormed out of a World Cup interview after being quizzed about Bastian Schweinsteiger’s recent comments about the Ivory Coast.
Football fans blasted the former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder after he said the Ivorians played “African football” in their 2-1 loss to Germany in their second World Cup match last Saturday.
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Bastian Schweinsteiger claimed Ivory Coast played ‘African football’ against Germany Credit: Getty
The 41-year-old made the comments while doing punditry for ARD Credit: Getty
When describing the aforementioned ‘African football’, the ARD pundit said: “[It’s] a bit unorthodox sometimes, a bit wild, not quite as tactical.”
Schweinsteiger’s comments have been viewed by many as racial stereotyping and have been widely condemned.
They were put to Klopp by a DW journalist, although the former Liverpool boss wasn’t in the mood to be drawn on the subject.
He said: “‘And now you want to carry on this subject.
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“No, no – I have no chance to answer this question.
“Everybody likes it, so you bring me into this situation.
“It’s not my job that everybody likes it but it is a serious subject and I don’t even know what is appropriate to say.
“For African people it’s one thing, for other people it’s another thing, and I’m not here.
Jurgen Klopp was irate after Bastian Schweinsteiger’s comments were put to him Credit: X@DW_SPORTS
The former Liverpool boss stormed out of the interview after answering the question Credit: X@DW_SPORTS
“Thank God I thought nobody asked me about that, but you found a moment and surprisingly, you are German. That surprised me so much.”
After conveying his shock at a German reporter asking him about the incident, Klopp walked away from the bank of journalists he was speaking to.
Schweinsteiger has yet to comment on the backlash to his assessment of the Ivorians’ style of play.
He has, however, been defended by prominent Germany author and journalist, Phillipp Awounou, who insisted the 41-year-old isn’t racist.
Awounou, however, didn’t completely absolve the retired midfielder of any wrongdoing with his “problematic” comments.
He told Der Spiegel: “‘In the past, Black people of African heritage were stigmatised as uncivilised (‘wild’), different (‘unorthodox’) and potentially dangerous (‘unpredictable’).’”
