Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp ended a television interview during the 2026 FIFA World Cup after refusing to comment on the controversy surrounding former Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, İdman.Biz reports.
Klopp, who is working as a pundit for Germany's Magenta TV during the tournament in the United States, was answering questions from reporters when he was asked about criticism directed at Schweinsteiger following Germany's 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast.
The former Germany captain came under scrutiny after describing Ivory Coast's style of play on ARD as "African football," adding that it was "sometimes unconventional, a bit wild, not entirely tactical and unpredictable."
The remarks sparked debate in Germany, with some journalists and commentators arguing that the description echoed outdated stereotypes about African football.
When asked by a DW Sports reporter to share his opinion, Klopp declined to comment.
"You want to continue with this topic now? No, no. I have no chance of answering this question. It's a serious issue, and I don't even know what the right thing to say is. Africans may see it one way, while others may see it differently. I'm not here for that," Klopp said.
He also expressed surprise that the question had come from a German journalist.
"I was thankful that nobody had asked me about this. But you found the opportunity. Interestingly, you're German too. That really surprised me."
Klopp then walked away and did not continue the interview.
Meanwhile, German sports journalist Philipp Awounou wrote in Der Spiegel that Schweinsteiger's choice of words was problematic but argued that it would be wrong to label the former midfielder as racist.
