Football pundit Jamie Carragher has addressed criticism over his previous comments regarding the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which many described as disdainful.
He was criticized for 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.
Carragher admitted on a broadcast show after Tuesday’s Champions League that his choice of words was not appropriate.
“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, or an international tournament—whatever that may be,” he stated.
Carragher emphasized that his point was based on historical tendencies in Ballon d’Or voting rather than a personal perspective on AFCON’s relevance.
“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 clarified.
He added that Ballon d’Or voting has typically preferred competitions like the UEFA European Championship.
“Sometimes we forget that the Ballon d’Or was originally the European Footballer of the Year award,” he said, adding that this could explain potential biases in voting patterns.
Carragher, who has been a loud admirer of Salah’s Ballon d’Or chances, recognized the response but underlined that he did not aim to upset anyone.
