‘It Is A Fact’ – Carragher Insists AFCON Not A Major Tournament

An English football analyst and former Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher, has reiterated his assertion that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is not on par with other prestigious tournaments, especially in Europe.

Naija News reports that Carragher came under attack following his recent comment regarding AFCON.

While discussing the potential reasons why Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah may not secure the Ballon d’Or this year, he suggested that representing Egypt could be a disadvantage, as the nation participates in a less prominent continental event.

It is worth noting that Salah has been in exceptional form this season, and many believe he is a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or.

However, Carragher contended that Salah’s involvement in AFCON presents a challenge, as he does not view it as a “major tournament.”

The criticism stemming from his comments has prompted Carragher to take to social media, where he clarified that AFCON should not be equated with the World Cup, the European Championship, or the Champions League.

“The point I was trying to make yesterday was that Mo Salah is at a disadvantage playing for Egypt in terms of him winning the Ballon d’Or. If Salah had an average season at Liverpool but won the AFCON and was the player of the tournament, then I don’t think he would win the Ballon d’Or.

“I don’t think AFCON carries the weight of other tournaments. But if Mbappe had an average season at Real Madrid but won the World Cup or Euros, then he would still have a great opportunity. It’s not just about certain tournaments – [Andriy] Shevchenko and[Robert] Lewandowski were never going to win the World Cup or Euros to help their case for the prize.

“I don’t think it’s controversial at all, really it’s just a fact. I know [Sadio] Mane came second a few years back after winning the tournament, but that alone wouldn’t have got him to that position. It was Liverpool being two games away from [winning the] quadruple that also played a big role.

“It’s not disrespectful if I feel the World Cup, Euros, Champions League are better tournaments. That’s just my opinion when I watch them. Saying it wasn’t a major competition was clumsy but I think most people watching could understand the point I was trying to make,” Carragher said again this weekend.

The former leader, “The face I pulled when Micah interjected was nothing to do with the merits of the tournament. I just knew as soon as he did what the reaction was going to be! I get a lot people didn’t like what I said and that’s fine.”