Former Nigeria star Mikel tells Carragher is ignorant and disrespectful

Former Chelsea star John Obi Mikel has told Jamie Carragher that he can 'f*** off' after the pundit faced criticism over his Africa Cup of Nations snub.

Carragher has faced the heat in the last couple of days after giving a reasoned argument for why he thinks the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is not a 'major tournament'.

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).

But that opinion brought him criticism from the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Micah Richards, and Rio Ferdinand - and now Mikel has joined the pile-on regarding a separate issue.

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.

'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.

'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.

'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.

Carragher was pulled up live on air by the likes of Sturridge and Richards for saying: 'I think the problem (is) the fact he (Salah) is 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.

'Liverpool will be in that conversation, but right now (Los Blancos) are certainly the front runner.'

Richards hit back: 'Just to say, AFCON is a major tournament because a lot of people are at home saying "they aren't taking it serious". AFCON is a big tournament, just so you know.'

Carragher then responded by asking whether Egypt would be in contention to win the World Cup next year, to which the former Man City defender responded: 'No, but AFCON is big, isn't it?

'You remember when him and Mane was going for it and...'

Carragher then replied 'Oh God', before Sturridge brought the matter to a close: 'It's a fact. It's a fact. It's a fact. If you win the Euros or Copa America it's deemed to be big so the AFCON is in the same level.'

Carragher was also targeted by former Man United defender Rio Ferdinand, who questioned the pundit's comments during a recent podcast episode.

However, Carragher wasn't happy with the former United defender's take.

'I didn't say that you clown,' Carragher commented on the Instagram post of his former rival discussing the subject. 'Stop playing to the gallery like you always do.'

Plenty of people have agreed with Carragher - including Joey Barton, who issued an impassioned video defence of his take - while he has also received some backlash.

Ballon d'Or winners have often tasted glory in either the Champions League or an international tournament - typically the European Championship or Copa America. No African star has won the gong since George Weah in 1995, while Sadio Mane finished second in the 2022 edition.