Jamie Carragher has issued a statement on social media addressing his recent remarks about the significance of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The former Liverpool defender had previously suggested that AFCON isn’t a “major tournament,” a comment that drew widespread criticism.
Clarifying his stance, Carragher wrote:
“The point I was trying to make yesterday was that Mo Salah is at a disadvantage when it comes to winning the Ballon d’Or because he plays for Egypt.”
“If Salah had an average season with Liverpool but won AFCON and was named MVP, I don’t believe that alone would be enough for him to win the Ballon d’Or. AFCON, in my opinion, doesn’t carry the same weight as other tournaments.”
“However, if Kylian Mbappé had an average season at Real Madrid but won the World Cup or the Euros, he would still have a strong chance of winning the award.”
Carragher further explained that this perspective isn’t exclusive to African players:
“It’s not just about AFCON. Players like [Andriy] Shevchenko (Ukraine) and [Robert] Lewandowski (Poland) were never realistically going to win the World Cup or Euros to boost their chances for the Ballon d’Or. It’s simply a fact, not a controversial opinion.”
Addressing Sadio Mané’s second-place finish in the 2022 Ballon d’Or rankings, Carragher noted:
“I know Mané finished second after winning AFCON, but that alone wasn’t enough to get him there. Liverpool competing for a historic quadruple played a major role in his ranking.”
Carragher concluded by acknowledging the backlash to his remarks:
“It’s not disrespectful to say that the World Cup, Euros, and Copa América are bigger tournaments—it’s just my opinion based on how I watch football. Calling AFCON ‘not a major competition’ was a clumsy choice of words, but I think most people understood the point I was making.”
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