Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand has said the Africa Cup Of Nations(AFCON) needs to be given the same prestige as the likes of the World Cup and other major trophy tournament
”It should be respected more than it is but what I would say is the lack of resources put into it.. the narrative from the media that comes out is that it is a Mickey Mouse tournament,” Ferdinand said during a podcast on Monday.
The 46-year-old’s comments come after fellow Englishman and pundit, Jamie Carragher speaking after Liverpool‘s 2-0 victory over Manchester City on Sunday, felt that Mohamed Salah playing in AFCON was a drawback in his becoming the best player in the world.
According to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) shattered viewership records, reaching a total of 2.2 billion viewers worldwide.
This surpassed the viewership of the Super Bowl in the United States, which averaged 123.4 million viewers that same year, a 1.8 billion gap.
The competition also saw a significant increase in digital engagement, with 2.1 billion digital interactions, 3.1 billion TikTok video views, and 12.5 million Instagram views.
Despite these impressive statistics, the six-time Premier League winner said such statements are due to ignorance as the cup competition has not gained the recognition it deserves even though it has provided players that have thrived in Europe.
