Jamie Carragher has responded to the backlash from his comments suggesting that the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) is not a “major tournament.”
The former Liverpool player sparked controversy after implying that Mohamed Salah’s chances for the Ballon d’Or might be weakened because he competes in tournaments that are not considered major international events.
Following Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Manchester City in February, Carragher stated that playing for Egypt might hinder Salah’s Ballon d’Or prospects because he is “probably not playing in a major tournament as such, or maybe got a great chance of winning.” He added that Ballon d’Or recognition usually goes to players who excel in the Champions League or major international tournaments.
These comments drew sharp criticism from figures like Rio Ferdinand, John Obi Mikel, Jay Jay Okocha, and Ahmed Elmohamady. Ferdinand described Carragher’s viewpoint as “ignorant,” while Obi Mikel responded with strong disapproval.
Carragher has now clarified his stance on CBS Sports. Speaking with Micah Richards, Thierry Henry, and Kate Abdo (now Scott), he acknowledged that his language was “clumsy” but maintained his overall argument.
He emphasized his passion for football debate and clarified, “But what I would never want to be described as, as a pundit, is ignorant or disrespectful, so that was never my aim.”
Carragher elaborated, “Where I got it wrong was, I was clumsy describing Afcon as not a major tournament.” He explained he was trying to discuss factors influencing Mohamed Salah’s Ballon d’Or chances and believes that while AFCON, the Asia Games, and the Gold Cup are major continental tournaments, they may not hold the same weight with Ballon d’Or voters as events like the Champions League or Euros.
He continued, “But some of them don’t resonate with the people who vote for the Ballon d’Or. That for me was not an opinion, that was a fact in terms of looking who had won the Ballon d’Or in the last 40 or 50 years.”
Carragher admitted, “As I said, I should have been a lot tidier with my language around that, so yes, that’s something I’ll look at.” He suggested that historical bias towards European football and tournaments like the Euros might influence Ballon d’Or voting, given its origins as the European Footballer of the Year award.
He concluded, “It was definitely not my aim to offend anybody – But that was certainly not the case. yes, hopefully that’s now addressed it.”
AFCON takes place every two years during the European winter. Morocco’s semi-final appearance in 2022 remains the only time an African nation has reached the World Cup’s final four.
George Weah, in 1995, is the only African player to have won the Ballon d’Or. In the 21st century, Sadio Mane is the only African player besides Salah to be in the top three for Ballon d’Or voting.
