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Feb 25, 2025, 06:38 AM ET

Ex-Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has said Jamie Carragher's comments disregarding the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as a major tournament were ignorant.

The incident took place in the aftermath of Liverpool's 2-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday, when Carragher suggested Mohamed Salah's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or are hampered by the fact that he plays for Egypt.

Salah is enjoying a stellar season, having scored 25 goals in 27 appearances to put him third in the all-time Premier League goal-scoring charts.



However, the Egypt international has never finished higher than fifth in Ballon d'Or standings.

"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," he said on Sky Sports.

"I think it's either the Champions League or the major tournament [that wins the Ballon d'Or]."

Carragher's co-panelist Micah Richards interjected and said: "I'll just say, AFCON is a major tournament.

AFCON is a major tournament, just so you know."

Rio Ferdinand has responded to Jamie Carragher's comments rejecting AFCON as a major tournament. Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images

Speaking on his Youtube channel, Ferdinand shared Richards' sentiment.

"That comment [Carragher's] is representative of the majority of people out there," Ferdinand said.

If Salah had an average season at LFC but won the AFCON & was MVP I don't think he would win the Ballon d'Or," he wrote.

"Because I don't think AFCON carries the weight of other tournaments.

It's not disrespectful if I feel the WC/Euros/CP are better tournaments it's just my opinion when I watch them.

"Saying it wasn't a major competition was clumsy but I think most people watching could understand the point I was trying to make," he continued.

"The face I pulled when Micah interjected was nothing to do with the merits of the tournament, I just knew as soon as he did what the reaction was going to be!
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