Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has sparked controversy by dismissing the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as “not a significant event” throughout a current post-match evaluation on Sky Sports activities.
The feedback got here after Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Manchester Metropolis on February 23, 2025, the place Carragher questioned Mohamed Salah‘s probabilities of successful the Ballon d’Or because of Egypt’s incapacity to safe a significant worldwide trophy.
Carragher, a Liverpool legend, argued that Salah’s lack of success with the Egyptian nationwide crew might hinder his probabilities of claiming soccer’s most prestigious particular person award.
He in contrast Salah’s scenario to that of Actual Madrid stars Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Jr., who he believes have a stronger case for the Ballon d’Or because of their participation in tournaments just like the UEFA European Championship (EURO) and the Copa AmAmérica.
I feel the issue is that he [Salah] is with Egypt, and he is most likely not taking part in in a significant event, or possibly does not have a fantastic probability of successful. I feel it is both the Champions League or a significant event
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Usually, the participant who excels in that, like Vinícius and Mbappé now, is Madrid, actually good going for the Champions League. Liverpool can be in that dialog, however proper now, Los Blancos are definitely the front-runners.
Carragher’s remarks drew speedy pushback from his fellow pundits, Daniel Sturridge and Micah Richards. Richards was fast to defend AFCON, emphasising its significance within the world soccer panorama.
Simply to say, AFCON is a significant event. Lots of people are saying they are not taking it severely, however AFCON is an enormous event
The AFCON towards Carragher’s voice
The Africa Cup of Nations, some of the prestigious tournaments in worldwide soccer, has a wealthy historical past courting again to 1957.
It options a number of the world’s prime abilities and is broadly thought to be a significant competitors by gamers, coaches, and followers alike.
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Carragher’s feedback have ignited a debate in regards to the notion of African soccer on the worldwide stage, with many arguing that AFCON deserves the identical respect as different continental tournaments.
Salah, who has been a standout performer for Liverpool, has constantly delivered distinctive performances in each the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.
Nevertheless, his incapacity to steer Egypt to AFCON glory has usually been cited as a possible impediment in his quest for the Ballon d’Or.
Regardless of this, Salah’s brilliance and impression on the sport have saved him within the dialog for soccer’s highest particular person honour.
Ghanaian journalist reacts
Ghanaian journalist Collins Atta Poku closely descended on Jamie for passing these feedback.
