JAMIE Carragher branded Rio Ferdinand a “clown” amid a heated row over the Liverpool legend’s comments about the Africa Cup of Nations.
Carragher, 47, spoke on Sky Sports after his former team’s 2-0 win at Manchester City and appeared to suggest that playing at Afcon worked against Mo Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or.
The legendary centre-back hinted that the Egypt international is at a disadvantage compared to Real Madrid superstars Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.
Carragher said on Sky Sports: “I think the problem [is] the fact he’s with Egypt, and he’s probably not playing in the major tournament as such or maybe got a great chance of winning, I think it’s either the Champions League or the major tournament [that influences who wins the Ballon d’Or].
“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 [Real] is certainly the front runner.”
But fellow pundits Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge chimed in to correct Carragher by insisting Afcon is a major tournament.
Richards said: “Just to say, AFCON is a major tournament because a lot of people are at home saying, ‘They aren’t taking it seriously’. AFCON is a major tournament, just so you know.”
Carragher asked the Man City hero if he thought Egypt had a chance of winning the World Cup.
Richards replied: “No, but AFCON is big, isn’t it? You remember when he and [Sadio] Mane were going for it and…”
And Carragher interrupted the former defender by complaining:”Oh God.”
Sturridge jumped in by stating it’s a “fact” that Afcon is at the same level as the Euros or Copa America.
The ex-Liverpool star said: “It’s a fact. It’s a fact. It’s a fact. If you win the Euros or if you win Copa America it’s deemed to be big so the AFCON is at the same level.”
Ferdinand, 46, caught wind of Carragher’s statement and argued that sort of thought process is “ignorant”.
The Man Utd legend claimed he understood what his ex-England team-mate was trying to say but insists Fifa needs to work on promoting Afcon exactly like the Euros and Copa America.
Ferdinand said on his Rio Presents podcast: “I think that comment is representative of the majority of the people out there. But I don’t think that’s right. It’s an ignorant thought process.
“If you go to Didier Drogba, Abedi Pele, Samuel Eto’o, Riyad Mahrez, Mo Salah or Sadio Mane, they’ll tell you, ‘We have to win this’ – it’s a demand in their countries to win this.
“Yes, it doesn’t get backed resources wise like the Euros etc, but that doesn’t mean you have to devalue it. It’s a continent of huge power. A continent that contributes to European football through players massively. It should be respected more than it is.
Carragher slams Ferdinand
“I understand what Jamie’s saying but I don’t agree with it. That’s the majority’s fault, if we’re honest, and its not right.
“I think the federations like FIFA need to make sure they implement a way of thinking and language around Afcon so it equals the Euros and the Copa America.
“Jamie is right in what he is saying because that is what happens. If Mo Salah won Afcon that would have no bearing on anyone when they vote for the Ballon d’Or, which is absolutely wrong.”
Carragher heard what Ferdinand had to say on Instagram and hit back with a fiery response on the comments’ section.
The Liverpool great branded his fellow Premier League hero a “clown” as he insisted his words were taken out of context.
Carragher responded: “I didn’t say that you clown. Stop playing to the gallery like you always do.”
Setting the record straight
The former centre-back tried to set the record straight with a lengthy post on Twitter.
Carragher tweeted: “The point I was trying to make yesterday was that Mo Salah is at a disadvantage playing for Egypt in terms of him winning the Balon D’or.
“If Salah had an average season at LFC but won the AFCON & was MVP I don’t think he would win the Ballon d’Or. Because I don’t think AFCON carries the weight of other tournaments.
“But if Mbappe had an average season at Real Madrid but won the World Cup/Euros he would still have a great opportunity.
“It’s not just about certain tournaments, [Andriy] Shevchenko (Ukraine), [Robert] Lewandowski (Poland) were never going to win the WC/Euros to help their case for the prize. I don’t think it’s controversial at all really it’s just a fact.
“I know Mane came 2nd a few years back after winning the tournament but that alone wouldn’t have got him to that position, it was LFC being two games away from a quadruple that played a big role also.
“It’s not disrespectful if I feel the WC/Euros/CP are better tournaments it’s just my opinion when I watch them. Saying it wasn’t a major competition was clumsy but I think most people watching could understand the point I was trying to make.
“The face I pulled when Micah interjected was nothing to do with the merits of the tournament, I just knew as soon as he did what the reaction was going to be! I get a lot people didn’t like what I said & that’s fine.
“I don’t normally respond to things on here with posts like this but
I decided to tweet in the end after seeing so many phoneys jumping on the bandwagon & playing to the gallery when they knew what I meant. Good luck MO you little dancer.”
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