Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa has joined the growing list of football figures condemning Jamie Carragher’s claim that the AFCON does not carry the same prestige as other international tournaments.
The Liverpool legend sparked backlash after suggesting that even if Mohamed Salah won AFCON, it wouldn’t significantly boost his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher argued that Salah was having a season comparable to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at their peak but faced a major obstacle in the Ballon d’Or race.
He dismissed AFCON as “not a major tournament,” a remark that has since drawn widespread criticism.
Several African football stakeholders swiftly responded, calling out what they perceived as a dismissive attitude toward the continent’s most prestigious competition.
Former Egypt international Ahmed Elmohamady, a two-time AFCON winner, was among the first to react. He fired back at Carragher on X, writing:
“Jamie Carragher doesn’t know what a major tournament is because he never won one. AFCON is a major tournament. So proud to have won it twice.”
Nigeria’s Ahmed Musa, the country’s most-capped player and a 2013 AFCON winner, also responded with a powerful statement.
He posted a picture of himself holding the AFCON trophy on X with the simple but pointed caption: “AFCON. Respect.”
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah also reaffirmed his pride in representing Egypt at AFCON and his desire to win the competition.
“It’s a great feeling every time you step on the field with the national team jersey. I cannot take it for granted. I want to win this competition. I would love to win it.”
Salah has played in four AFCON tournaments, reaching the finals in 2017 and 2021 but has yet to lift the trophy.
Egypt remains the most successful nation in AFCON history, with seven titles, the most recent in 2010.
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand also weighed in, urging for more recognition of the tournament.
“AFCON needs more respect. It matters, and federations need to do more to highlight this.
Ask the likes of Mo Salah, Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure, Abedi Pele, and Samuel Eto’o what it means.”
He shared a video from his podcast on X, disputing Carragher’s comments.
The 2023 AFCON, hosted and won by Côte d’Ivoire, was the most successful edition yet, drawing 2.2 billion video views and broadcasting in 171 territories—including new markets like Brazil, Russia, India, and Italy.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) reported a 65% increase in sponsorship revenue, while ticketing revenue surged by an astonishing 800% compared to the 2021 edition.
With Morocco set to host the next AFCON later this year, expectations are even higher.
The North African nation plans to utilize nine venues across six host cities, promising another landmark tournament.
