Jamie Carragher has responded to criticism regarding his comments suggesting the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) was not a “major tournament.”
The former Liverpool defender sparked controversy after implying that Mohamed Salah’s chances for the Ballon d’Or might be diminished due to his participation in AFCON, which Carragher initially didn’t consider a top-tier international competition.
Following Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Manchester City in February, Carragher stated that playing for Egypt in AFCON might hinder Salah’s Ballon d’Or prospects because it’s “probably not playing in a major tournament” with a high chance of winning.
He elaborated that Ballon d’Or recognition typically goes to players who excel in either the Champions League or a major international tournament.
Former players like Rio Ferdinand, John Obi Mikel, Jay Jay Okocha, and Ahmed Elmohamady strongly criticized Carragher’s viewpoint.
Ferdinand described it as an “ignorant thought process,” while Obi Mikel responded with strong disapproval.
Carragher has now addressed the backlash on CBS Sports, alongside Micah Richards, Thierry Henry, and Kate Abdo (now Scott). He conceded that his language was “clumsy” but maintained his central argument.
He affirmed his passion for football debate and strong opinions, emphasizing that his intention was never to be “ignorant or disrespectful” as a pundit.
Carragher clarified, “Where I got it wrong was, I was clumsy describing Afcon as not a major tournament.”
He explained he was trying to assess Mohamed Salah’s Ballon d’Or chances and believes that besides the World Cup and Copa America, tournaments like the Asia Games and the Gold Cup, while major continental events, might not hold the same weight in Ballon d’Or voting.
Carragher pointed out that historically, Ballon d’Or voters, often journalists, coaches, and captains, might be more influenced by tournaments like the Euros, possibly due to the award’s European origins as the “European Footballer of the Year.”
He reiterated that he did not intend to offend and was aiming to highlight potential biases in Ballon d’Or voting, concluding that he hopes his clarification addresses the concerns.
AFCON is held every two years during the European winter.
Morocco in 2022 remains the only African nation to have reached the World Cup semi-finals.
George Weah, in 1995, remains the only African player to win the Ballon d’Or.
Sadio Mane is the only African player in the 21st century to be voted into the Ballon d’Or top three, with Salah achieving fifth place in 2018 and 2019.
Marcus Bellamy