Football pundit, Jamie Carragher, has addressed criticism over his previous comments regarding the Africa Cup of Nations, which many perceived as dismissive.
The former Liverpool defender came under fire 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, Carragher acknowledged 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 explained that his point was based on historical trends in Ballon d’Or voting 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 clarified.
He further noted that Ballon d’Or voting has historically favoured 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 vocal supporter of Salah’s Ballon d’Or chances, acknowledged the backlash but emphasised that he did not intend to offend anyone.
