Carragher lacks knowledge of African football, AFCON is top-tier – Tom Saintfiet

Mali head coach Tom Saintfiet has hit back at Jamie Carragher for dismissing the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as a minor tournament.

The former Liverpool defender recently claimed that AFCON is not among the world’s top international competitions and negatively impacts African players’ chances of winning the Ballon d’Or.

Responding to Carragher’s remarks, Saintfiet, who has coached on the African continent for years, told Connect 97.1FM that the pundit’s comments stem from a lack of understanding of African football.

“I was a little surprised when I heard those comments about AFCON and Mo Salah. It’s a bit strange. I don’t think Jamie Carragher really knows African football—he has probably never attended an AFCON tournament or studied the teams competing,” he said.

The former Gambia coach further emphasized AFCON’s high level of competition, arguing that it ranks among the world’s most competitive international tournaments.

“AFCON is one of the toughest international competitions. In Europe, you typically have four or five nations winning the Euros. In South America, it’s mainly Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil. But in Africa, you have about 10 teams with a real shot at the title,” he added.

By Francis Hema

 

The post Carragher lacks knowledge of African football, AFCON is top-tier – Tom Saintfiet first appeared on 3News.

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