Former Arsenal and Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor has criticised former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher for dismissing the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, as a minor tournament.
Speaking to AfricaSoccer, Adebayor stated that Carragher is not among the world’s top defenders and described his remarks as disrespectful to African football and its people.
“These comments are a total disrespect not only to AFCON but also to all Africans,” Adebayor said.
“It’s always the same when AFCON comes around—clubs hesitate to release players, and critics try to downplay its importance.
“I played against world-class defenders in the Premier League; Carragher is not one of them.”
Carragher recently made the comments during a Sky Sports debate on Mohamed Salah’s Ballon d’Or chances, suggesting that AFCON lacked the prestige of the Euros or the World Cup.
Although he later clarified his remarks, backlash against his stance continues.
