Liverpool legend, Jamie Carragher, has disregarded the Africa Cup of Nations as a major tournament.
Carragher argued this following the Liverpool’s 2-0 win at Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher suggested that Salah’s nationality and Egypt’s lack of success on the global stage could hinder the player’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or this year.
He said: “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.
“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.”
Former Manchester City defender, Micah Richards, hit back at Carragher saying, “Just to say, AFCON is a major tournament because a lot of people are at home saying ‘they aren’t taking it seriously’. AFCON is a big tournament, just so you know.”
Carragher responded by questioning if Egypt would be contenders for the World Cup, because according to him, only the biggest international competitions influence the Ballon d’Or race.
However, ex-England striker, Daniel Sturridge shut down the argument, saying, “If you win the Euros or Copa America, it’s deemed to be big, so the AFCON is on the same level.”
