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“Winning AFCON Won’t Help Salah Win the Ballon d’Or” – Carragher Says
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has fired back at Rio Ferdinand after the former Manchester United defender weighed in on the debate over Carragher’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) remarks.
Carragher had downplayed AFCON’s importance as a major tournament. After Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Manchester City on Sunday, the 47-year-old suggested that Mohamed Salah’s participation in AFCON could hurt his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or.
Ferdinand, speaking on his podcast, argued that Carragher’s view reflects the general perception and called on FIFA to elevate AFCON’s status to match the European Championship and Copa America.
Salah, who has finished as AFCON runner-up twice (2017 and 2021), has yet to win the tournament.
“I get what Jamie is saying, but I don’t agree with it. The fact that AFCON isn’t valued the same as the Euros or Copa America is wrong, and that’s on FIFA and the federations,” Ferdinand said.
“Jamie is right in that if Salah won AFCON, it wouldn’t influence the Ballon d’Or voting at all, which is completely unfair.”
Carragher didn’t hold back in his response, shutting down Ferdinand’s take.
“I didn’t say that, you clown. Stop playing to the gallery like you always do,” Carragher fired back on Instagram.
Former footballer Thierry Henry has shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s match following their loss to Atlético Madrid on October 13.
Speaking during a brief interview on CBS Sports, Henry criticised the practice of players or coaches expressing certain opinions through the media instead of addressing issues directly within the dressing room.
“I’m not a coach anymore, but I always say, whoever speaks like that, out. Keep that in the dressing room, it’s as simple as that,” Henry said on CBS Sports.
“That is the only way it can work. You have to say those things to a person’s face… going through the press, I am not really a fan of that.”
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has shared his thoughts on the 2026 Ballon d’Or award, revealing that he hopes the winner will come from his team.
The manager spoke about how hard his players have worked and expressed his belief that they deserve the recognition.
“What I hope is that we win this trophy. We have players who deserve it.”
“Last year, we were the best team. We showed that it wasn’t just Ousmane Dembélé who deserved it.”
French football pundit Walid Acherchour has named Lamine Yamal as his pick to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, sparking reactions among football fans.
Acherchour’s choice came as a surprise to some fans, who expected him to support fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappé instead.
Speaking about his prediction, Acherchour expressed confidence in Yamal’s chances of winning the prestigious individual award.
“For me, Lamine Yamal, he is going to get it [2026 Ballon d’Or]. For me, there’s no doubt anymore,” Acherchour said, as quoted by Actu Foot. That start to the season shows that in fact, he was injured during the World Cup. He was the best player in La Liga, and he won the World Cup.
“Even if, for me, in fact, he doesn’t have the Ballon d’Or unanimously because his World Cup was average, even being average, he won it with Spain. He won La Liga with Barça.”
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