Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick has fired back at ex-England and Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher over his contentious remarks about the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

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Carragher, now a Sky Sports pundit, sparked controversy on Sunday while analyzing Liverpool star Mohamed Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or. The 47-year-old downplayed AFCON’s significance, suggesting it is not among football’s major tournaments—a statement that has drawn widespread backlash.

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Pinnick, who serves on the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Executive Council, strongly rejected Carragher’s comments. Speaking on SuperSport’s Soccer Africa, he defended AFCON’s prestige, reaffirming its status as one of the world’s top football competitions. He also assured fans that the 2025 edition in Morocco would surpass the recently concluded tournament in Ivory Coast in both scale and quality.

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“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,” Pinnick stated.

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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. Still, Weah’s outstanding performances for AC Milan earned him the prestigious award.

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Pinnick believes Salah’s performances this season make him a strong contender for the prestigious award.

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“When George Weah in 1995 won the Ballon d’Or, Liberia was nowhere close to 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 said.

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“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.”

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Pinnick further stressed AFCON’s importance to African footballers, highlighting how much winning the competition means to them.

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“African players know how important it is to win the Africa Cup of Nations, and the medal and trophy alone are something every player will cherish,” he added.

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Salah has been in outstanding form this season, scoring 25 goals and registering 16 assists in the Premier League. With a total of 182 league goals, he is just two strikes away from surpassing Sergio Aguero to enter the top five all-time scorers in the competition.

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The Egyptian star has also impressed in the Champions League, netting seven times to help Liverpool secure the top spot in their group. His 51 combined goals and assists across Europe’s top five leagues currently lead all players, further bolstering his case for the Ballon d’Or.

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A victory in the prestigious award would be a historic milestone for African football, cementing Salah’s status as one of the greatest players the continent has ever produced.

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