Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz is unhappy with former Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o’s comments that compared the Africa Cup of Nations semifinal between the two countries to a war.

A video published on the official Cameroon Football Federation Facebook page shows a speech by Eto’o, who is now its president, where he uses the word war more than once when referring to the game.

The former Barcelona striker, 40, was talking in the Cameroon dressing room shortly after the quarter-final win over The Gambia, but his choice of words has not gone down will with Queiroz.

“It’s a very unfortunate comment, a very bad approach, a very bad message to the people of Cameroon,” the 68-year-old said.

“To make this declaration of war before one game [shows he] doesn’t learn nothing when he was in professional football.

“Football is not about war. Football is about celebration, it’s about joy, it’s about happiness.”

Alluding to the fatal crush at the Olembe Stadium which killed six people on Monday, 24 January, Quieroz added: “He forgot that people died at the stadium [a few] days ago.”

The comments from Eto’o, who was elected Fecafoot president in December, come as Cameroon’s south-west region continues to be affected by armed conflict.

Queiroz, who has managed Real Madrid, Portugal and Iran as well as served as assistant to former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, says he and his team have their own answer to the comments.

“To the war that was proposed by Mr Eto’o – we are going to answer with the best football, the best attitude, the best quality because this what the people expect from us,” Queiroz insisted.

“This is what the world wants – the Africa Cup of Nations to create honour, dignity – it cannot be a war – give me a break.

“I think it is something I will leave to CAF (the Confederation of African Football) because one comment like this deserves a red card.”