Football pundit Jamie Carragher has addressed criticism over his past remarks about the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which many perceived as dismissive.
The former Liverpool defender faced backlash after suggesting that Mohamed Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or were slim because he was not competing in a “major tournament,” referring to AFCON.
Speaking on a broadcast show after Tuesday’s Champions League matches, Carragher admitted that his choice of words was poorly phrased.
“What I would never want to be described as, as a pundit, would be ignorant or disrespectful. That was never my aim, whether that’s to a player, a club, a country, a continent, an international tournament—whatever that may be,” he stated.
Carragher clarified that his point was based on historical Ballon d’Or voting trends rather than a personal opinion on AFCON’s significance.
“Where I got it wrong was I was clumsy with my language in describing AFCON as not a major tournament. I was trying to explain the merits of Mo Salah winning the Ballon d’Or, and I feel that not just AFCON but also tournaments like the Asia Games and Gold Cup don’t resonate with the people who vote for the award,” he explained.
He pointed out that Ballon d’Or voting has historically favoured competitions such as the UEFA European Championship, adding, “Sometimes we forget that the Ballon d’Or was originally the European Footballer of the Year award,” which may have contributed to biases in the voting process.
Carragher, a vocal supporter of Salah’s Ballon d’Or chances, acknowledged the backlash but emphasized that he did not intend to offend anyone.
