Jamie Carragher explains why Mohamed Salah didn’t win the Ballon d’Or | OneFootball

Carragher reignites Salah debate with bold Ballon d’Or claim

Liverpool’s perfect start to the Premier League season has reignited old debates, none more pointed than Jamie Carragher’s latest remarks about Mohamed Salah. The former defender has never shied away from controversy, and his latest assessment risks “causing a big storm” once again.

Carragher links Salah’s Ballon d’Or snub to PSG defeat

Liverpool may be thriving domestically under Arne Slot, but last season’s Champions League heartbreak continues to cast a shadow. The Reds topped their League phase only to fall at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, who went on to lift the trophy. For Carragher, that night at Anfield cost Salah more than a semi-final place.

“I go back to something I said that obviously caused a big storm at the time about the African Cup of Nations, but whether we like it or not, I do feel the biggest trophies play a part,” Carragher told The Overlap.

He added: “Normally around a World Cup year or a Euro year, whoever is player of the tournament would more often than not get the trophy. So I think the Champions League also plays a big part. I think if Liverpool beat Paris Saint-Germain in that game, Liverpool maybe get to the semis and he might win it, who knows! But I do think he probably would have got it.”

Salah, remarkably, did not even make the Ballon d’Or top three this year, watching as Ousmane Dembélé collected football’s most prestigious individual prize.

AFCON controversy refuses to fade

Carragher’s previous dismissal of AFCON as a “major tournament” brought heavy criticism. Yet his doubling down underlines his belief that Salah must add Champions League glory to his CV if he is to truly rival past winners such as Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema.

For Salah, the weight of expectation remains immense. Every year he is measured against football’s immortals, and every missed chance in Europe feels magnified.

Salah’s last chance for football’s ultimate prize?

Now 33, Salah’s window for Ballon d’Or success is narrowing. With only two years left on his Liverpool contract, next season may represent his final realistic opportunity. Should he lead the Reds to both Premier League and Champions League triumphs while also inspiring Egypt to AFCON glory, the argument for his coronation would be irresistible.

It is a daunting challenge, but history reminds us that greatness often comes late. Messi and Benzema both collected their golden balls well into their thirties. For Salah, there may yet be one final act to crown his legacy.