Coach of the Egyptian National team Carlos Queiroz has confronted Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o for sending a “very bad message” when he described Thursday’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-final between the sides as a “war”.
Eto’o, who is now president of Cameroon’s Football Federation, made the comment in a video widely published on social media.
“Prepare yourselves because this is going to be a war,” Eto’o told his Cameroonian players.
He continued that; “That is how we need to approach this match. A war! You can’t let this opportunity pass you by.”
The semi-final clash will be played at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde and would the first game to be staged there since eight people died and 38 were injured in a crush before the hosts nation’s game with Comoros.
“It is a very bad message to the people of Cameroon. I think he forgot that Cameroon people died at the stadium a couple of days ago,” Queiroz told the media.
“To make this declaration of war before a game I think he has learned nothing from being in professional football.”
But Carlos Queiroz has called on the Confederation of African Football to take action against Eto’o.
“It was a very very, unfortunate comment because football is not about war, football is about celebration, joy, it’s about happiness,” he said.
“We are here to please the people. We are not here to make people die. We are here to have fun, to have joy”.
“So to challenge the team of Cameroon to come and play a war against us I think it’s something that I leave to CAF because a comment like this deserves a red card.
