Super Eagles legend, Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, has slammed Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher for belittling the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), saying it is not a major tournament.

Carragher argued this following the Reds’ 2-0 win at Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.

Egyptian superstar, Mohamed Salah, continued his stunning form this season with a goal and an assist for Dominik Szobozslai at the Etihad.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher suggested that Salah’s nationality and Egypt’s lack of success on the global stage could hinder the player’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or this year.

He said: “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.

“Normally, the player who excels in that, like Vini Jr and (Kylian) Mbappe right now, Real Madrid looking really good going for the Champions League.”

Former Manchester City defender, Micah Richards, hit back at Carragher saying, “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 big tournament, just so you know.”

Carragher responded by questioning if Egypt would be contenders for the World Cup, because according to him, only the biggest international competitions influence the Ballon d’Or race.

However, ex-England striker, Daniel Sturridge shut down the argument, saying, “If you win the Euros or Copa America, it’s deemed to be big, so the AFCON is on the same level.”

Despite the backlash that followed his comment, Carragher has refused to tender an apology but doubled down on his words.

Reacting, Okocha stated that Carragher's style of play is not the type that anyone would want his son to emulate.

He said, "There are some players that will say some things, you'll just overlook it. If you look at their career, if you look at the type of football that they played, you can understand, you know.

"I mean, you won't want your son to be like Carragher. So he can never appreciate African football or the talents that come from Africa."

ASA