Kenya Police midfielder Kenneth Muguna has weighed in on the ongoing debate about the lack of respect towards the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), highlighting that the issue stems from within the continent itself.
The discussion around AFCON’s status in world football was reignited following remarks by former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, who suggested that Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah has little chance of winning the Ballon d’Or because he lacks a major tournament victory.
“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,” Carragher remarked.
His statement was widely criticized for undermining AFCON, a competition regarded as a prestigious tournament alongside the Euros and Copa America. Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand also weighed in, dismissing Carragher’s view as ignorant.
“I think [what he said] is representative of most of the people out there. But I don’t think that’s right. It’s an ignorant thought process,” Ferdinand stated.
“If you go to Didier Drogba, Abedi Pele, Samuel Eto’o, Riyad Mahrez, Mo Salah, or Sadio Mane, they’ll tell you ‘we have to win this’ – there’s demand in their country to win this.”
Muguna added his voice to the discussion by posing a thought-provoking question about African football fans’ preferences. He asked whether Africans would choose to watch an AFCON or Euro final if both were played at the same time.
“Final Euro: France vs Portugal. Final AFCON: Nigeria vs Egypt. Both being played at the same time. Guess which one Africans will watch?” he questioned.
Some fans responded that a France vs Portugal final would be more appealing, a sentiment Muguna acknowledged as the reality facing AFCON. He argued that until Africans take their own tournament seriously, it will never get the recognition it deserves.
“Until the day we take our things seriously, we will never get the recognition we want from the rest of the world,” he added.
The issue has sparked divided opinions, with some blaming organizers and Africans themselves for not giving AFCON the prestige it deserves, while others believe it is dismissed simply because it is an African tournament.
Muguna’s comments also attracted criticism from those who felt he was contributing to a negative narrative about AFCON instead of supporting it. However, his remarks have opened up an important conversation about the tournament’s standing and the respect it commands, both within and outside the continent.
