Sky Sports hosts Jamie Carragher and Rio Ferdinand argue over comments made about Salah
During a heated discussion about the Africa Cup of Nations, JAMIE Carragher labeled Rio Ferdinand a “clown” in response to the Liverpool star’s comments.
The 47-year-old Carragher made his remarks on Sky Sports after his former team’s 2-0 win over Manchester City, suggesting that Mo Salah’s participation in Afcon negatively impacted his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or.
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The iconic defender suggested that Salah faces tough competition against Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.
Carragher expressed on Sky Sports: “The problem is that he plays for Egypt, and he’s probably not involved in a major tournament or doesn’t have a strong possibility of winning. I believe it’s the Champions League or major tournaments that influence who stands out for the Ballon d’Or.”
“Typically, the player who excels in those competitions, like Mbappe and Vini Jr right now, has Real Madrid looking strong for the Champions League.”
“Liverpool will be part of the discussion, but at this moment, [Real Madrid] is definitely ahead.”
Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge, fellow analysts, interrupted to highlight that Afcon is indeed a significant tournament.
Richards stated: “To clarify, AFCON is a major tournament because many people out there might think, ‘They aren’t taking it seriously.’ AFCON is an important event.”
Carragher even questioned whether he believed Egypt had a chance at winning the World Cup.
Richards replied: “No, but AFCON is pivotal, isn’t it? Remember when he and [Sadio] Mane were in contention for it and…”
Carragher interrupted with frustration: “Oh God.”
Sturridge interjected, declaring that Afcon is “equally significant” as the Euros or Copa America.
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The former Liverpool player underlined: “It’s a fact. Winning the Euros or Copa America is viewed as significant, so AFCON bears the same weight.”
Ferdinand, 46, caught wind of Carragher’s statements and dismissed that perspective as “ignorant.”
The Manchester United legend acknowledged his former England teammate’s underlying point but insisted that FIFA must improve the visibility of Afcon, similar to the Euros and Copa America.
Ferdinand remarked on his Rio Presents podcast: “That mindset reflects the views of many out there. Nonetheless, it’s misguided. It’s an ignorant perspective.”
“If you ask Didier Drogba, Abedi Pele, Samuel Eto’o, Riyad Mahrez, Mo Salah, or Sadio Mane, they would say, ‘We must win this’ – incredible pressure exists in their nations to succeed.
“While it might lack the financial investment of the Euros, that doesn’t mean we should overlook its value. It’s a continent with enormous impact. A continent that contributes significantly to European football through its players. It deserves greater respect.”
Carragher responds to Ferdinand
“I understand Jamie’s view, but I don’t agree. This largely stems from broader perspectives, and it is not justifiable.”
“FIFA and similar organizations need to work on creating a perception and language around Afcon that aligns it with the Euros and Copa America.”
“Jamie is right that if Mo Salah were to win Afcon, it would likely not influence anyone’s Ballon d’Or vote, and that’s unjust.”
Upon seeing Ferdinand’s thoughts on Instagram, Carragher reacted with a vehement rebuttal in the comments.
The Liverpool icon referred to his Premier League counterpart as a “clown,” asserting that his statements had been taken out of context.
Carragher wrote: “I didn’t say that you clown. Stop trying to gain crowd approval as you always do.”
Clarifying the context
The former defender sought to clarify his position with an elaborate Twitter post.
Carragher tweeted: “The point I tried to make yesterday was that Mo Salah has a disadvantage as he represents Egypt in terms of achieving the Ballon d’Or.”
“If Salah had a mediocre season at LFC but won AFCON & was named MVP, I don’t believe he would win the Ballon d’Or. That’s because I don’t think AFCON carries the same significance as other tournaments.”
“However, if Mbappe had a less-than-stellar season at Real Madrid but claimed the World Cup or Euros, he would still hold a strong chance.”
“It’s not merely about specific tournaments; [Andriy] Shevchenko (Ukraine) and [Robert] Lewandowski (Poland) were never in strong positions to win the WC or Euros to support their claims for the award. I don’t see this as controversial; it’s just factual.”
“I recognize that Mane finished second a few years back after winning the tournament, but that alone wouldn’t have sufficed; Liverpool being just a few matches away from a quadruple greatly contributed to that too.”
“My belief that the WC, Euros, and Copa America are superior tournaments isn’t disrespectful; it’s just my opinion based on observation. My statement about it not being a major competition was poorly articulated, yet I think many viewers grasped my essential message.”
“The expression I made when Micah interjected wasn’t meant to undermine the tournament’s worth; I merely anticipated the response it would evoke! Yes, I understand that many people felt hurt by my statement, and that’s entirely okay.
“I rarely engage in discussions like this with posts, but
I felt the need to tweet after noticing so many disingenuous people jumping on the bandwagon, pretending they misunderstood my intentions. Good luck to you MO, you little dancer.”