Who would have thought a discussion on the brilliance of Mohamed Salah would spark a heated social-media row about the merits of the Africa Cup of Nations?
Well that’s what happened when Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher suggested Afcon was not considered a “major tournament”.
So what did Carragher say? Who else has spoken out? And is Afcon disrespected by a European-centric view of world football?
BBC Sport attempts to break down and explain the issues.
What did Carragher say?
Speaking after Liverpool’s 2-0 Premier League win at Manchester City on Sunday, pundits in the Sky Sports studio were discussing Salah’s performance and whether this season could be one of the “greatest” individual campaigns.
The debate then turned to whether Salah could be in line to win the Ballon d’Or – a prestigious annual award for the best player in the world.
The Ballon d’Or is voted for by 100 journalists from around the world, and was won last year by Manchester City midfielder Rodri.
Former Liverpool defender Carragher suggested Salah would have to win the Champions League in order to win the Ballon d’Or because Afcon is not recognised by voters as a “major tournament”.
He added: “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.”
Carragher’s repeated use of the term “major tournament” irked fellow pundits Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge.
Richards stressed Afcon was a “major tournament”, saying: “A lot of people are at home saying ‘They aren’t taking it seriously.’ Afcon is a big tournament.”
Former Liverpool striker Sturridge said: “It’s a fact. If you win the Euros or Copa America it’s deemed to be big – so the Afcon is at the same level.”
Carragher responded: “Egypt are not going to win the World Cup are they?” And when Richards tried to explain, he cut him off and said “Oh God.”
Clips of the exchange were shared widely across social media.
On Monday, Carragher attempted to clarify his comments on X, saying Salah was “at a disadvantage playing for Egypt in terms of him winning the Ballon d’Or”.
“If Salah had an average season at LFC but won the Afcon & was MVP [Most Valuable Player] I don’t think he would win the Ballon d’Or. Because I don’t think Afcon carries the weight of other tournaments.
“But if Mbappe had an average season at Real Madrid but won the World Cup/Euros, he would still have a great opportunity.”
The backlash
Carragher’s comments drew criticism from a number of former players.
Writing on X, former Aston Villa and Egypt captain Ahmed Elmohamady said: “Jamie Carragher doesn’t know what major tournaments [are] because he never won one. Afcon is a major tournament. So proud to [have] won it twice.”
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said on his podcast that while he understood Carragher’s point about the weight of Afcon on Ballon d’Or voting, he thought the comment was “an ignorant thought process” and Afcon should be “respected more than it is”.
Carragher –Â replying on Ferdinand’s Instagram account – called his former England team-mate a “clown” and suggested he was “playing to the gallery”.
Afcon players & Ballon d’Or history
Afcon is held every two years and has typically been staged during European winter time.
No African nation has ever won the World Cup, and only one – Morocco at Qatar 2022 – has reached the semi-finals.
In a comparison of the wealth of the federations, Ivory Coast won $7m (£5.5m) for winning Afcon 2023, Argentina won $42m (£33.3m) for winning the last World Cup, and Spain won approximately 28m euros (£23.4m) for winning Euro 2024.
Former AC Milan and Liberia striker George Weah is the only African player to have won the Ballon d’Or – having done so in 1995.
Senegal and former Liverpool winger Sadio Mane – in 2022 – is the only African player to have finished in the top three in the voting in the 21st century.
The highest Salah has finished is fifth – in 2019 and 2022.
In 2021, former Arsenal and England player Ian Wright said some media coverage of Afcon was “tinged with racism”, asking “Is there ever a tournament more disrespected than the Africa Cup of Nations?”