Lagos, Nigeria — Nigerian football icon Jay-Jay Okocha has taken a swipe at former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, criticizing his stance on the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and questioning his understanding of African football.
In an interview that surfaced on X, Okocha dismissed Carragher’s credibility, saying: “There are some players you just overlook when they speak. If you look at their career and the kind of football they played, you understand why. I mean, you wouldn’t want your son to be like Carragher. So, he can never appreciate African football or the talents that come from Africa.”
Okocha’s remarks come in response to Carragher’s controversial comments made during a Sky Sports discussion on February 23, where he downplayed AFCON’s significance while assessing Mohamed Salah’s chances of winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
During the discussion, which featured England internationals Micah Richards, Daniel Sturridge, and Roy Keane, Carragher argued that Salah’s failure to win “major tournaments” could hinder his Ballon d’Or ambitions, despite the Egyptian leading his national team to two AFCON finals in 2017 and 2021.
His comments sparked immediate backlash, with Richards and Sturridge countering that AFCON is a prestigious competition. The debate quickly spread across social media, where many accused Carragher of disrespecting Africa’s premier football tournament.
Among the voices condemning Carragher’s remarks was former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel. Speaking on his Obi One Podcast, Mikel did not hold back:
“The Africa Cup of Nations is as big as the Euros. I’ve played in it and won it. It’s not in his f***ing place to discredit AFCON. He sits there week in, week out, teaching and coaching people on how to win the Premier League, and he never won it!”
Mikel, who won the 2013 AFCON title with Nigeria, further emphasized the tournament’s impact on African footballers:
“Kids grow up watching their idols give everything to support their countries. The next generation of African players coming into the Premier League, coming to Europe, it’s all because they grew up watching AFCON.”
The former Chelsea star, who boasts an illustrious career with two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, a UEFA Champions League title (2012), and two UEFA Europa League titles, reaffirmed the tournament’s significance in shaping African football’s future.
By Taiwo Olatinwo | March 1, 2025.
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