L-R: Samuel Eto’o, Abedi Pele and Mohammed Salah
Legendary Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand has dismissed claims that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) cannot be considered a major tournament.
The football pundit argued that Africa has produced some of the greatest players in football history, who have significantly contributed to the success of European clubs.
He highlighted legendary African players such as Abedi Ayew Pele from Ghana, Samuel Eto’o from Cameroon, Didier Drogba from Ivory Coast, Riyad Mahrez from Algeria, and the in-form Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah.
Ferdinand emphasized that although the UEFA European Championship (EUROS) is more advanced in terms of resources, that should not diminish the significance of AFCON.
“I think what he [Carragher] said reflects the views of many people out there. But I don’t think that’s right. It’s an ignorant thought process. If you ask Didier Drogba, Abedi Pele, Samuel Eto’o, Riyad Mahrez, Mo Salah, or Sadio Mané, they’ll tell you.
“Yes, AFCON doesn’t receive the same level of financial backing as the Euros, but that doesn’t mean it should be devalued. It deserves more respect than it currently gets,” he said during his podcast.
During the post-match analysis of Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Manchester City on February 23, 2025, on Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher argued that although Mohamed Salah excels with Liverpool, the lack of a major international tournament for his national team could hinder his chances of winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
His comment was met with backlash for undermining the prestige of AFCON and Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or.
Watch Rio Ferdinand’s remarks in the video below:
Bravo Rio Ferdinand 👏👏it’s a bid sad that African legends and current players have all chosen to keep quiet when they could collectively use their voice right now to change the narrative and perception around AFCON pic.twitter.com/Ld4TWZ49O8
— WelBeast (@WelBeast) February 25, 2025
Meanwhile, Watch as Ghanaians tell Dede Ayew to retire from Black Stars to protect his legacy:
SB/MA
