Former Nigerian international John Obi Mikel
Former Nigerian international John Obi Mikel has demanded an apology from Jamie Carragher, insisting that the Englishman offended Africans with his statement about the status of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Mikel’s demand follows Carragher’s seemingly dismissive remarks about Africa’s flagship football tournament, the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Speaking on his podcast, the former Chelsea midfielder stated that Carragher was wrong and should apologize.
“For me, that’s absolutely wrong. His statement is so wrong, and I hope he comes out to make a massive apology because he owes us. He does owe the people around the world an apology,” Mikel said.
What 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 Mohamed 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.
EE/EK
Meanwhile watch GhanaWeb’s breakdown of the uproar triggered by Jamie Carragher’s comments on the AFCON and Mo Salah below:
