Jurgen Klopp walks out of interview over Schweinsteiger comments
Jurgen Klopp made an abrupt departure from a press gathering at the World Cup after a journalist questioned him about controversial statements made by fellow German pundit Bastian Schweinsteiger regarding Ivory Coast’s style of play, reports BritPanorama.
The 59-year-old, currently serving as Red Bull’s global head of football while undertaking punditry duties for Magenta TV, appeared visibly irritated when a Deutsche Welle reporter raised the subject during a media huddle in New York on Wednesday.
Schweinsteiger has faced accusations of racial stereotyping following his analysis of Germany’s Group E victory over the Ivorians, broadcast on ARD last Saturday. The 41-year-old former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder sparked the controversy while providing commentary ahead of Germany’s 2-1 comeback win.
“A bit African football, a bit unorthodox, a bit wild, a bit perhaps also not so conditioned by tactics. We have to be prepared for it to be unpredictable,” Schweinsteiger said on the German broadcaster. He characterised the Ivorian approach as lacking tactical discipline compared to European sides.
His remarks triggered widespread criticism on social media and among German commentators, with many accusing the former international of perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Klopp cut off the reporter before they could complete their question, refusing to engage with the controversy.
“And now you want to carry on this subject,” he said. “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.”
The former Liverpool manager added: “For African people it’s one thing, for other people it’s another thing, and I’m not here. 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 thanking the assembled journalists, Klopp walked away from the interview.
Philipp Awounou, a Black German journalist and author, explained the problematic nature of such language to Der Spiegel. “Behind attributions like ‘wild’ and ‘unpredictable’ are stereotypes which are older than football and which have racist, colonial roots,” he said. “In the past, Black people of African heritage were stigmatized as uncivilised (‘wild’), different (‘unorthodox’) and potentially dangerous (‘unpredictable’).”
However, Awounou was clear that Schweinsteiger himself should not be branded a racist, describing the comments as “problematic” rather than evidence of personal prejudice. German content creator Patrick Schnitzler, who has 50,000 Instagram followers, also accused Schweinsteiger of employing “racial stereotypes” in his analysis.
This incident illustrates the complex interplay of sports, media, and cultural perceptions — a reminder that in the world of football, every word can weigh heavily and the past can linger in the way players and pundits are portrayed.
