Jamie Carragher has been slammed as ‘unforgivably ignorant’ by former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys for downplaying the significance of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Carragher suggested Mohamed Salah is disadvantaged in the yearly hunt for the Ballon d’Or because he cannot win a ‘major tournament’ at international level.
That came after Salah had bagged a goal and an assist during Liverpool’s 2-0 win at Manchester City, extending their advantage over Arsenal to 11 points.
Ballon d’Or winners have often tasted glory in either the Champions League or an international tournament – typically the European Championship or Copa America. No African star has won the gong since George Weah in 1995.
But Carragher was pulled up live on air by Daniel Sturridge and Micah Richards before being roundly criticised on social media.
Now, Keys has piled in via his blog, where he does not explicitly name Carragher but makes clear reference to the furore involving him.
Jamie Carragher was called ‘unforgivably ignorant’ by ex-Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys
Carragher was called out live on air for suggesting the Africa Cup of Nations is not a ‘major tournament’
He argued that Mohamed Salah is typically disadvantaged in the race for the Ballon d’Or because he cannot win a ‘major’ international tournament
‘Never mind the PL’s best ever – Mo Salah might just be Liverpool’s best ever – despite the fact he’s never played in a big tournament. Seriously. What ignorance. Unforgivable ignorance,’ Keys wrote.
‘Time and again down the years I’ve referenced the arrogance of so-called experts that live and work within the borders of the UK who think nothing beyond their territory matters.
‘It’s why our WC here in Qatar was dismissed by so many of them – despite it going on to be the best ever – climaxing with the best games of football I’ve ever seen. ‘Qatar?’, they asked. ‘Not England? Why? How could that happen?’
‘I’m slightly off course, so let me correct that. In a stat-based world, here’s one to think about. In Egypt alone, we at beINSPORTS probably had in excess of 100m people watching the showdown of the Egyptian Kings on Sunday. And that number doesn’t take into account the 22 other nations in our territory.
‘Yeah. Egypt, who’re the most successful team in AFCON history, having won it seven times. Salah hasn’t won it yet – but he gets another chance towards the end of the year. Still – it’s not one of the big tournaments is it? It’s not played in England – or Europe, so it can’t be.’
Salah is seen as one of the leading contenders for football’s top individual prize due to his prolific form and Liverpool’s strong bid for silverware.
His tally of 25 league goals is the highest in Europe, while he has added five in other competitions, and has amassed 21 assists across the board.
It is vanishingly rare for an African star to go close in the Ballon d’Or, with Sadio Mane the only other player alongside Weah to reach the top three in voting. He came second in 2022.
Keys blasted Englsih football’s ‘so-called experts’, seeming to make reference to Carragher
Daniel Sturridge (centre-left) and Micah Richards (centre-right) contested Carragher’s claim
Rodri is the current holder of the Ballon d’Or after winning both the Premier League and Euros
Salah has been runner-up in AFCON twice with Egypt, reaching the final in 2017 and 2021
All the same, Carragher faced heat for his comment.
‘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,’ he had said.
‘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.
‘Liverpool will be in that conversation, but right now (Los Blancos) are certainly the front runner.’
Richards hit back: ‘Just to say, AFCON is a major tournament because a lot of people are at home saying “they aren’t taking it serious”. AFCON is a big tournament, just so you know.’
Carragher then responded by asking whether Egypt would be in contention to win the World Cup next year, to which the former Man City defender responded: ‘No, but AFCON is big, isn’t it?
‘You remember when him and Mane was going for it and…’
Carragher then replied ‘Oh God’, before Sturridge brought the matter to a close: ‘It’s a fact. It’s a fact. It’s a fact. If you win the Euros or Copa America it’s deemed to be big so the AFCON is in the same level.’
AFCON will return at the end of the year, with Morocco playing host for the second time, and Egypt will be one of the favourites to go all the way.
Alongside Salah will be his Manchester City rival Omar Marmoush, who joined the Premier League’s reigning champions in January after a stunning first half of the campaign with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
