The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reiterated that the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) is a major tournament after it was dismissed by Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher.
Carragher belittled the tournament while speaking as a pundit on Sky Sports during Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
The game saw Mo Salah deliver an assist and a goal as he continued his impressive form this season.
However, Carragher stated that despite his form, Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or this season could be hindered by Egypt’s lack of success on the global stage.
He said: “I think the problem [is] the fact he’s with Egypt, and he’s probably not playing in the major tournament as such or maybe got a great chance of winning.
“I think it’s either the Champions League or the major tournament.
“Normally, the player who excels in that, like Vini Jr and (Kylian) Mbappe right now, Real Madrid looking really good going for the Champions League.”
His statement was objected to by former Manchester City defender, Micah Richards, who said, “Just to say, AFCON is a major tournament because a lot of people are at home saying ‘they aren’t taking it seriously.’ AFCON is a big tournament, just so you know.”
Former England striker Daniel Sturridge also expressed how important AFCON is, saying, “If you win the Euros or Copa America, it’s deemed to be big, so the AFCON is on the same level.”
Reacting, CAF shared a post on X with photos to show AFCON’s importance.
The post reads, “Major Tournament. That’s the tweet.”
See the photos:
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