Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, has strongly criticized ex-England and Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher for his disparaging comments about the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Carragher, now a Sky Sports pundit, stirred controversy on Sunday while discussing Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or.
The 47-year-old claimed that AFCON is not among football’s major tournaments, a statement that has since sparked widespread backlash.
In response, Pinnick, who is also an Executive Council member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), condemned Carragher’s remarks while emphasizing that AFCON remains one of the world’s top competitions.
Speaking on SuperSport’s Soccer Africa, he assured fans that the upcoming 2025 AFCON in Morocco will surpass the recently concluded edition in Ivory Coast.
“I think it is a very myopic opinion, and you can see the wave of attack because the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is growing beyond the imagination of so many people, and he might be talking subjectively.
The former NFF boss also referenced George Weah’s 1995 Ballon d’Or win, pointing out that Liberia had not even qualified for AFCON at the time, yet Weah’s outstanding performances for AC Milan earned him the prestigious award.
He argued that Salah’s performances this season should make him a serious contender.
“When George Weah in 1995 won the Ballon d’Or, Liberia were nowhere close to the AFCON. He won the award due to his performance when he was with AC Milan, and you look at what Mohamed Salah has done this season. That is super iconic.
Pinnick reaffirmed the significance of AFCON to African players, stressing that winning the competition remains a deeply cherished achievement.
“The players are playing so well, and it is even beyond the coach. It is not about tactics, and that should be the spirit to resonate in Africa, and that should be the spirit among African players that we can do it. In the last AFCON, give it to CAF because solidarity about 60 million dollars went to Cote d’Ivoire, and that was the first time, and just wait and see what will happen in Morocco this year.
“African players know how important it is to win the Africa Cup of Nations, and the medal and trophy alone is something every player will cherish,” he added.
Meanwhile, Salah’s outstanding season has seen him net 25 goals and provide 16 assists in the Premier League, placing him in the top six of the league’s all-time goal-scorers list. With 182 goals, he is just two strikes away from overtaking Sergio Aguero for a place in the top five.
His performances in the Champions League have also been remarkable, with seven goals helping Liverpool top their group. Salah currently leads Europe’s top five leagues in combined goal involvements (51), further strengthening his case for the Ballon d’Or.
Winning the award would mark a historic moment for African football, cementing Salah’s legacy as one of the continent’s greatest-ever players.
