Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has finally admitted he was “clumsy” in his controversial dismissal of the Africa Cup of Nations as “not a major tournament,” following fierce criticism from Nigerian icons and fans worldwide.
The ex-England defender, speaking on CBS Sports during their Champions League coverage, attempted to clarify his comments after sparking outrage by suggesting Mohamed Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or were hindered because Egypt’s continental competition wasn’t on the same level as others like the Euros or Copa América.
For a tournament as prestigious as AFCON, where legends like Victor Ikpeba, Samuel Eto’o and Yaya Toure have made history, Carragher’s remarks didn’t just feel dismissive. They felt outright disrespectful to a competition that millions of Africans cherish and players sacrifice everything to win.
Carragher’s comments
In his initial comments on Sky Sports in the UK, Carragher argued that Salah, despite his sensational form for Liverpool, wouldn’t get Ballon d’Or recognition partly because Egypt “probably aren’t playing in a major tournament.” When Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge pushed back, reminding him that AFCON is indeed a major tournament, Carragher smirked and shrugged it off.
Jamie Carragher: “Salah is from Egypt and therefore not able to win a major competition which may stop him from winning ballon d’or”
— Mr. Nigerian Football (@AJSilverCFC) February 24, 2025
Micah Richards: “AFCON is a major competition”
Carragher: “Seriously ?”
Sky Sports have removed this part on YouTube. pic.twitter.com/7Z75Wcaph8
That reaction didn’t sit well with many, including former Nigeria captain Mikel Obi, who furiously called him out:
“Africans watch you on the weekend and you sit there, open your mouth and discredit the whole f***ing African continent. He can f*** off.”
“The Africa Cup of Nations is as big [as the Euros], I’ve played in it and won it. It’s not his f***ing place to discredit the AFCON. He sits there, week in, week out teaching and coaching people to win the Premier League and he never won it!” he continued.
Jay-Jay Okocha also chimed in, saying:
“I mean you wouldn’t want your son to be like Carragher. You can never appreciate African football if you’re like that.”
EXplanation
Facing the backlash for the first time on live television, Carragher used his appearance on CBS Sports’ Golazo Show last night to try and clean up the mess, admitting his language was wrong while insisting he never meant to offend Africa, its players, or its footballing traditions.
Here’s exactly what Carragher said in his own words:
“What I would say is where I got it wrong was I was clumsy describing AFCON as not a major tournament. That was certainly not my aim.”
“I love debate and strong opinions, but what I would never want to be described as is ignorant or disrespectful. That was never my aim – whether that’s to a player, a club, a country, a continent or a tournament.”
Carragher claimed his point was to highlight the historical bias in Ballon d’Or voting, where continental competitions outside Europe and South America often don’t carry the same weight:
“Some of these tournaments don’t resonate with the people who vote for the Ballon d’Or. That’s not an opinion – that’s a fact, looking at the winners over the last 40 or 50 years.”
He continued:
“I’ve been banging the drum for Mo Salah to become the first African player to win the Ballon d’Or since George Weah in the ’90s. And I should’ve been a lot tidier with my language around that. That’s something I’ll look at.”
“You look at the Euros, Copa América, and other competitions. Some resonate more with the Ballon d’Or voters — whether that’s journalists, managers, or national captains. And maybe there is still a bias there because we forget the Ballon d’Or used to be the European Footballer of the Year.”
Finally, Carragher made it clear that the offence caused was never his intention:
“It was definitely not my aim to offend anybody – I know I’ve done that in the past in different guises about different players and teams, but that was certainly not the case here. Hopefully that’s now addressed.”
.@Carra23 addresses his AFCON comments pic.twitter.com/eKzfqIEsrv
— CBS Sports Golazo ?? (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 4, 2025
Was Carragher’s apology enough to repair the damage? Do his comments show how little respect AFCON still gets on the global stage? Join the debate in the comments below!
