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Jamie Carragher’s recent comments have landed him in hot water with former AFCON stars

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has found himself at the centre of a heated debate after questioning the prestige of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The ex-England international suggested that winning AFCON would not significantly boost Mohamed Salah’s Ballon d’Or chances, drawing backlash from African football legends, including Nigeria’s Ahmed Musa.

Ahmed Musa hits back at ‘major tournament’ claim

Carragher’s comments, made during a discussion on Sky Sports, sparked outrage after he implied that the AFCON tournament does not carry the same weight as other international competitions.

He clarified his statements on X, saying, “Salah is at a disadvantage playing for Egypt in terms of him winning the Ballon d’Or.

“If Salah had an average season at LFC but won the AFCON and was [Player of the Tournament], I don’t think he’d win the Ballon d’Or, because I don’t think the AFCON carries the weight of other tournaments.”

One of the first to react was former Egypt international Ahmed Elmohamady, a two-time AFCON winner, who took to social media to say, “Jamie Carragher doesn’t know what Major Tournaments is because he never won one. AFCON is A Major Tournament. So proud to won it twice”.

Nigeria’s captain Ahmed Musa, the country’s most-capped player and a 2013 AFCON winner, joined the chorus of criticism. The former Leicester City winger posted an image of himself lifting the AFCON trophy, accompanied by the caption: “AFCON. Respect.”

Super Eagles star echoes CAF’s thoughts on AFCON

The latest edition of AFCON, hosted by Ivory Coast in 2023, was the most successful in its 68-year history, amassing 2.2 billion video views and reaching audiences in 171 countries

Super Eagles captain and Player of the Tournament in the 2023 edition also weighed in, echoing a message from CAF’s official X account that read, “Major. TotalEnergiesAFCON” alongside a picture of the AFCON trophy. He added: “Say it louder so the people in the back can hear.”

As Africa prepares for the next AFCON, set to be hosted by Morocco later this year, anticipation is at an all-time high.

With plans to utilise nine venues across six cities, the tournament promises to be another landmark event, reinforcing AFCON’s place among the world’s most prestigious football competitions.