Changing Perceptions of Afcon and Its Impact on National Identity

“Lacking respect for Mohamed Salah and lacking respect for Egypt and for African football.”

That’s how three-time Afcon winner Wael Goma sums up Jamie Carragher’s comment that the Africa Cup of Nations is ‘not a major tournament’.

The former England and Liverpool defender was taking part in a TV discussion about Mohamed Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’or after Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday.

He said because Salah hadn’t won a ‘major’ tournament like the World Cup, Euros or Copa America so he didn’t have much chance of winning the coveted award for the best player in the world.

But Africa’s top footballing guns have come out angrily to defend the importance of Afcon.

PRESENTER: Alan @Kasujja GUESTS: Ivory Coast’s Wilfried Bony who won Afcon in 2015 Egypt’s Wael Goma who won Afcon in 2006, 2008, and 2010 Football Journalist, Oluwashina Okeleji.