Jay Jay Okocha at the 1994 World Cup. [Photo credit/X]
Former Super Eagles captain Austin Jay Jay Okocha has hit back at ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher over his controversial comments regarding the African Cup of Nations and its significance in the Ballon d’Or race, Soccernet.ng reports.
Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports, suggested that even if Mohamed Salah won AFCON, it would not significantly enhance his chances of clinching the prestigious award.
Then the now-CBS Golazo pundit who had come underfire later clarified his stance on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“Salah is 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 and was [Player of the Tournament], I don’t think he’d win the Ballon d’Or, because I don’t think the AFCON carries the weight of other tournaments.”
Meanwhile, his comments sparked outrage among African football legends, including Okocha, who dismissed Carragher’s comments and took a dig at the former England international’s playing career.
“There are some players that would say something and you just have to overlook it. If you look at their career, if you look at the type of football they played, then you can understand,” Okocha said.
“I mean… you won’t want your son to be like [Jamie] Carragher. So you can never appreciate African football or the talents that come from Africa.”
Okocha wasn’t the only Nigerian legend to react. Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa also weighed in, and demanded respect for the AFCON tournament.
Former Chelsea midfielder and 2013 AFCON winner John Mikel Obi also slammed Carragher’s remarks during an episode of the Obi One Podcast with a passionate defense of African football.
“I don’t care what he says, I’ve played in it, I’ve won it. It’s not his f**king place to discredit the African Cup of Nations. I am angry. He spent so many years playing for Liverpool and didn’t win the Premier League, and he sits there week in week out, trying to tell people how to win the league.
“Africans tune in to watch. They don’t have money to eat, but they watch the Premier League. They watch you on the weekend, and you sit there to discredit the whole African continent, that it has no value because it’s not the Euros or Copa America, he can f**k off.”
Carragher has yet to respond to the growing backlash, but the debate over AFCON’s global recognition continues to rage on.