Former captain of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, John Obi Mikel has told Jamie Carragher to apologise to Africans, insisting that the Englishman offended Africans with his statement about the status of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Mikel Obi’s demand for an apology is coming after Carragher recently argued why he thinks the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is not a ‘major tournament’.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Mikel said: ‘It’s so disrespectful what he said, and this is coming from someone who never won any major international competition with England.
‘His statement was absolutely wrong. I hope he will come out and make a massive apology because he owes people around the world an apology. [It was] ignorant to disrespect such a wonderful tournament.
Carragher’s statement about the AFCON
During the post-match analysis of Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday, the Liverpool legend suggested that Mohamed Salah is disadvantaged in the yearly debate for the Ballon d’Or due to not being able to win a major international tournament – in his eyes, the Euros, Copa America, or the World Cup (for which Egypt are not heavily fancied).
“I think the problem is that he [Salah] is with Egypt, and he’s probably not playing in a major tournament or maybe doesn’t have a great chance of winning. I think it’s either the Champions League or a major tournament.
“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, Los Blancos are certainly the front-runners,” he said.
No Premier League without Africans… – Mikel
The Former Nigerian international said the Premier League would not have global relevance if not for players from Africa and other continents.
“If you think that the Premier League would be what it is today with just the English players you’re f***ing having a laugh mate.
“The smirk on his face, the arrogant f***ing smirk on his face to dismiss… That smirk on his face is absolutely what tipped me off. You have people trying to correct you and you’re coming out and attacking absolutely everyone else and discrediting this wonderful tournament,” he said.
Mikel added that Carragher does not have the experience of winning the Premier League with Liverpool not a winning experience with England national team.
“The guy says so many things on TV, never won the Premier League, analyses teams and tells them you have to win the Premier League.
“You never won it, you don’t know what it takes to win the f***ing Premier League, you don’t know what it takes to win with your national team. You can’t discredit such a wonderful, wonderful tournament. People in Africa die for the Africa Cup of Nations,” Mikel added.
‘I am angry’ – Mikel
Mikel while admitting that he is angry at the statement made by Carragher, said no disrespect should come for the tournament he struggled to win for Nigeria.
He said, “I am f***ing angry, I am f***ing angry, he spent so many years playing for Liverpool, he didn’t win the f***ing Premier League. He sits there week in, week out, telling and teaching people trying to tell people how to win the Premier League. You haven’t won it.
“Africans watch you on the weekend and you sit there, open your mouth and discredit the whole f***ing African continent, saying your African Nations tournament is s***. That is has no value because it’s not the Euros or Copa America. He can f*** off. We know in Africa what we bring to the Premier League.
“If you won the Euros with England I might understand that, if you won a major tournament with England I might understand that. You won f*** all with England. F*** all. And you try to discredit the tournament that I won, shed blood and tears for?”
During his playing career, Mikel won the Africa Cup of Nations back in 2013 and finished as a runner-up on two separate occasions.
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