Former England defender Jamie Carragher has addressed the backlash he received after his comments on the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which many interpreted as him downplaying its importance. Carragher had initially mentioned that Mohamed Salah’s failure to win the Ballon d’Or could be attributed to Egypt’s absence from a major tournament, implying that AFCON might not be considered a major tournament by those voting for the prestigious award.
In response to criticism from African football legends like Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, John Mikel Obi, and Elhadji Diouf, Carragher clarified his position. He admitted that he was “clumsy” with his language and never intended to disrespect the tournament, its teams, or players. He explained that his point was about the impact of various continental tournaments like AFCON, the Asian Cup, and the Gold Cup, stating that while these tournaments are significant, they don’t always resonate with those who vote for the Ballon d’Or. He stressed that this is not his personal opinion, but rather a fact, citing the winners of the award over the past 40-50 years as evidence.
Carragher acknowledged that his choice of words could have been better and reiterated that he was attempting to highlight the challenges faced by Salah in winning the Ballon d’Or, especially with Egypt not participating in the major tournaments that often influence the award.
