The head coach of the Egyptian national team, Portuguese Carlos Queiroz, stated that the president of the Cameroon Football Association, Samuel Eto'o, deserves a red card following his recent comments describing the upcoming match between Egypt and Cameroon, scheduled for Thursday in the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals, as a "war."
Cameroon is hosting the African tournament, which has faced numerous issues and organizational problems since it began on January 9, including the tragic deaths of eight fans due to stampedes and poor organization at the Cameroon vs. Comoros match.
Queiroz directed a message to Samuel Eto'o, saying, "I tell him to correct his concepts; this is not a war. It is an honor for us to join hands with Cameroon to play respectful football. The war declared by Eto'o will be responded to with football and the best approach. We talk about honor and dignity, so stop that."
In his television remarks on "On Time Sports," Queiroz added, "I feel sorry for that, but this is a very bad approach and a bad message to the Cameroonian people. Eto'o forgot that some people died in the stadium, including some Cameroonians. This statement will yield nothing."
He continued, "Football is not about wars; it is about joy, happiness, and enjoyment. We will respond to this with football and by delivering a great performance to please the audience."
Queiroz concluded, "We are here for that, not for the deaths of fans. People always strive for those moments of happiness when their team wins, but to call football a war? I will leave that to the African Union; a comment like that deserves a red card."