Egypt defender Shawky El-Said returned from Botswana following a Nations Cup qualifier with a pet monkey that he carried inside a vacuum cleaner box.

A picture showing El-Said carrying the box at Cairo's International Airport went viral on social media, prompting a flurry of sarcastic comments.

"One of Botswana's fans asked me for an Egypt kit. He was very happy when I gave him the kit to the extent that he told me he was ready to do anything I ask him for," El-Said, who plays for Egyptian club Ismaily, told football website FilGoal.com.

"I asked him to bring me a monkey, and he did that. I brought it in the vacuum cleaner box that was shown in the pictures."

El-Said was kept on the bench as Egypt beat Botswana 2-0 to recover from two opening defeats in Group G of the qualifiers.

They will face Botswana again in Cairo on Wednesday.

"I will raise the monkey in my house. But it will stay at the place of one my friends until after our game against Botswana," El-Said added.

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