Carragher doubles down on AFCON claim after Salah’s Ballon d’Or snub | OneFootball

Liverpool have watched another season of brilliance from Mo Salah go unrecognised by the Ballon d’Or voters, and Jamie Carragher has offered his view on why the Egyptian missed out.

Jamie Carragher on Salah and the Ballon d’Or

Picture via @ballondor on X

Speaking on The Overlap, Carragher said: “I go back to something I said about Salah and it obviously caused a big storm at the time about the African Cup of Nations.

“But I do feel that whether we like it or not, the biggest trophies play a part.

“So normally around a World Cup or a Euros year, whoever’s the player of the tournament more often than not would probably get the trophy.

“I think the Champions League does play a big part. I think if Liverpool beat PSG in that game [Champions League Round of 16 last season], Liverpool maybe get to the semis, maybe win it, who knows?

“[If Liverpool do that] He [Salah] probably gets it [the Ballon d’Or].”

It comes after Ousmane Dembele scooped the prestigious award, following a remarkable season where he hit 35 goals and 14 assists for Paris Saint-Germain as they won a historic treble.

BBC Sport reported the Frenchman’s triumph over Salah, Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona’s young stars.

For Salah, who produced more goal involvements than any player in Europe’s top five leagues last term, the snub will sting.

His 34 goals and 23 assists underlined his influence in our title-winning season, yet the Ballon d’Or panel instead rewarded the player who knocked us out of Europe.

What Carragher’s comments mean for Liverpool

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Carragher’s words will divide opinion, but they highlight how important it is for us to go deep in the Champions League under Arne Slot.

The Dutchman guided us to the Premier League crown in his debut campaign, and with additions like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, expectations for European success have never been higher.

The debate also brings back memories of Carragher’s previous remarks on Salah and international tournaments, where our former defender claimed Ballon d’Or hopes were limited by playing for Egypt.

This sparked a fierce reaction from former teammate El Hadji Diouf after Senegal’s win over England.

Carragher later clarified on CBS Sports that he meant no disrespect to African players or tournaments, but had been pointing out how voters for the individual award are often swayed by the bigger international competitions.

That controversy shows just how sensitive the topic remains whenever Salah’s legacy and the importance of African football is discussed.

For Liverpool fans, the message is clear, as good as our No.11 has been, the biggest stages still dictate who gets crowned the best in the world and if he wants that crown – we will need more success this season.

You can watch Carragher’s comments on Salah (from 10:22) via The Overlap on YouTube:

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