Africa Daily – Why Are Some People Dismissive of Afcon?

Podcast: Africa Daily (BBC World Service)
Host: Alan Kasuja
Guests: Wael Goma, Wilfred Bony, Oluwashina Okeleji
Date: February 28, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the controversy sparked by Jamie Carragher, former England and Liverpool player, who argued on Sky Sports that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is not considered a “major” football tournament—potentially undermining the Ballon d'Or candidacy of Mohamed Salah. Host Alan Kasuja explores the backlash to Carragher’s comments among African football luminaries, the cultural significance of AFCON, and why dismissals of the tournament cut so deeply across the continent.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Controversy: Jamie Carragher’s Comments

[00:04-04:30]

• Carragher’s assertion: AFCON isn’t seen globally as a “major tournament,” which could affect Salah’s chances for the Ballon d'Or.
• Immediate Response: Outrage and condemnation from African football stars and supporters globally.
• Media Counterpoint: Daniel Sturridge and Micah Richards, also present on Sky Sports, challenged Carragher, arguing AFCON should be held in the same regard as the Euros or Copa America.

Quote:
"He basically said what stands before him and the chance of winning the Ballon d’Or is the fact that he represents Egypt ... playing for Egypt doesn’t really help his case ... because other players like Kylian Mbappé ... are playing in the Euros and the Copa Americas, two tournaments that are bigger than the AFCON ... it’s disrespectful to AFCON, the pride of Africa."
— Oluwashina Okeleji, [02:09]

2. African Legends React

[04:30-06:23]

• Strong Retorts: Several African footballing figures, including Ahmed Hassan (Egypt), El Hadji Diouf (Senegal), Hamed El Mohamady (Egypt), publicly called Carragher’s comments racist and disrespectful.
• Cultural Reverence: Alan recalls watching African icons like Rashidi Yekini and Kanu, underscoring the tournament’s unifying role and emotional weight in Africa.

Quote:
"The AFCON is the continental showpiece. … You can win Champions League, but if you’ve never won the African Cup of Nations, no one recognizes you on the continent.”
— Oluwashina Okeleji, [05:06]

3. The Emotional and National Significance of AFCON

Wilfred Bony and Wael Goma Share Their Perspectives

[06:59-09:21]

• Dream Fulfillment: Winning or even playing in AFCON is described as "more than a dream," surpassing even club success in emotional resonance.
• National Unity: The entire country rallies behind the national team—club rivalries dissolve, and all attention turns to collective pride.

Quote:
"When you're dreaming about playing [for] your country, it's nothing bigger than this ... being a hero of the country, it's like you're going to war."
— Wilfred Bony, [06:59]

• Exceptionality of the Moment:
  "Whatever I said and Wilfred said, you have to play and listen to the national anthem to feel this feeling. It's something very, very unique."
  — Wael Goma, [07:50]

The Weight of Defeat and Victory

• Intensity of Loss: Losing can bring a country to a standstill, illustrating the national stakes at play.

Quote:
"The country is like it's dead. It's like no man's land. People are crying. Look what happened in [Ivory Coast], some people lost their child because [their] country lost the game. ... You never get this with a club."
— Wilfred Bony, [08:23]

4. Is It Disrespect or Ignorance?

[09:03-10:32]

• Response to Carragher:
  Bony and Goma suggest Carragher lacks understanding because he’s never achieved national team glory and underestimates African—and Egyptian—football achievements.
• English Premier League Ties: Goma points out that many Premier League legends, like Didier Drogba, are Africans—reflecting the continent's value to global football.

Quote:
"He is completely underestimate[d] ... Egyptian football and the African football and the African player."
— Wael Goma, [10:03]

5. On Changing Attitudes Toward AFCON

[10:32-11:18]

• Western Minimization: Even Jurgen Klopp once called AFCON a “little tournament.” Bony sees these attitudes as a symptom of broader global biases and calls for changing mentalities.
• Global Importance: Bony stresses AFCON is the most significant tournament after the World Cup for Africans.

Quote:
"We have to fight for [AFCON]. We have to change the mentality of the people. ... It's the same major tournament after the World Cup, AFCON."
— Wilfred Bony, [10:43]

6. Football’s Cultural Impact in Egypt and Broader Africa

[11:29-13:20]

• Football as Oxygen: For many Egyptians, football is a vital source of hope and unity. Mohamed Salah is seen as an aspirational figure for the whole nation.
• Beyond Sports: Victory in AFCON is a driver of national happiness, even amidst other social problems, and shapes national identity.

Quote:
"Football is a kind of oxygen for the Egyptian people. ... Salah is now a symbol for the hopeness ... it’s a kind of a very big legend now for us. And everybody in Egypt want to be like Salah."
— Wael Goma, [11:29]

• AFCON as a Unifier: During the tournament, even warring factions sometimes put aside differences for football. The reach and passion for the tournament sometimes eclipses even the FIFA World Cup Finals in some African countries.

Quote:
"Imagine what the sensation you give to people. ... You can never explain this, but if you are not part of this, you can do [that] and then win that. This is something unbelievable."
— Wilfred Bony, [12:31]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [01:19] Wael Goma: “Legends lacking respect for Muhammad Salah and lacking respect for Egypt and the African footballs.”
• [01:26] Wilfred Bony: “AFCON is a major tournament, which maybe for him is not, but for all Africans, it’s majority—after the World Cup is African.”
• [07:50] Wael Goma: “Of the national anthem is something exceptional ... you have to play and listen to the national anthem to feel this feeling. It’s something very, very unique.”
• [09:08] Wilfred Bony: “It’s disrespectful for AFCON, disrespectful for the African players … maybe he doesn’t feel that; he never won anything with the national team.”
• [11:29] Wael Goma: “Football is a kind of oxygen for the Egyptian people … Salah is now a symbol for the hopeness ... a very big legend now for us.”
• [12:31] Wilfred Bony: “More than just football. This is life ... how many people are watching that—bigger than the final in World Cup.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:04-02:09 – Alan Kasuja introduces the debate & recaps Jamie Carragher’s controversial comments.
• 02:09-04:30 – Oluwashina Okeleji explains the wider reaction among African football stars.
• 06:59-07:50 – Wilfred Bony and Wael Goma on the emotional and patriotic meaning of AFCON.
• 09:08-10:32 – Direct responses to disrespect and misconceptions about AFCON.
• 11:29-12:21 – Football’s broader cultural meaning, centering Salah’s status in Egypt.

Tone and Language

The tone is passionate, reverent, and unapologetically proud of the African football tradition. Guests speak with deep emotion and personal conviction about the meaning behind AFCON—often contrasting it to club football and critiquing European or Western perspectives that minimize its significance.

Summary

This episode of Africa Daily passionately challenges the notion that AFCON is a “lesser” tournament, weaving together personal anecdotes, historical reverence, and the vast emotional impact of the event for millions. Former players and journalists stress the tournament's unparalleled cultural importance and how dismissals of its stature—by pundits like Jamie Carragher or even respected managers—reflect broader global misunderstandings. Ultimately, for Africa, AFCON is much, much more than football—it is identity, hope, and unity.