Sports analyst, Kojo Addae Mensah
Sports analyst, Kojo Addae Mensah, has stated that the Copa America is a more competitive tournament than the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
He explained that when comparing the two continental tournaments in terms of quality and timing, the AFCON falls below the standard of the Copa America.
The sports pundit bemoaned the fact that the AFCON, not being played in the summer, does not receive the necessary publicity to be recognized globally, as it clashes with major European leagues.
Addae Mensah stressed that it is high time the tournament is moved to the summer despite concerns about the weather.
“Copa America is better than AFCON. Whether we like it or not, we need to move AFCON to the summer. We need to stop making excuses about summer being a rainy season,” the businessman said during an interview with Sporty FM.
This comes after Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher stated that he does not consider the AFCON to be a major tournament compared to the Copa America and the Euros.
The comment drew a barrage of criticisms from football fans, retired players, and other English pundits who refuted the claim.
What Jamie Carragher said about the AFCON
During the post-match analysis of Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Manchester City on February 23, 2025, on Sky Sports, Carragher asserted that although Mohammed Salah, an Egyptian, excels with Liverpool, the lack of a major tournament for his national team could hinder his chances of winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
“I think the problem is that he [Salah] is with Egypt, and he’s probably not playing in a major tournament, or maybe doesn’t have a great chance of winning. I think it’s either the Champions League or a major tournament.
“Normally, the player who excels in that, like Vini Jr. and Mbappe right now, Real Madrid looking really good going for the Champions League. Liverpool will be in that conversation, but right now, Los Blancos are certainly the front-runners,” he said.
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