• Says Carraghar’s denigration of AFCON myopic
Former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Melvin Amaju Pinnick, has reiterated his desire to see the best African football leaders representing the continent in the FIFA Council.
Ten candidates are vying to represent Africa in the FIFA Council at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) elections scheduled for Cairo, Egypt, later this month. Five slots are available at the polls.
Pinnick, who is seeking re-election to the Council, during a live interview on SuperSport’s African Soccer, said that his motivation for seeking re-election is to build on the progress made during his first term under FIFA President, Gianni Infantino.
“My re-election bid is not a must-win at all costs. I have my businesses and other commitments. However, I believe the relationships and achievements from my first term should be used to further the development of global football,” Pinnick said.
He acknowledged the high calibre of candidates vying for the FIFA Council seats and commended Infantino for his leadership, which he believes has strengthened FIFA’s integrity, financial standing, and global influence.
He also stressed that serving on the FIFA Council is about collective decision-making rather than personal ambition.
“It’s not about Amaju Pinnick, Patrice Motsepe, Fouzi Lekjaa, or Hany Abou Rida. Decisions are made collectively, and the FIFA Congress remains the highest decision-making body,” he noted.
Reflecting on his tenure, Pinnick highlighted significant milestones, including the expansion of the FIFA World Cup format and the success of the recent Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Addressing concerns over Africa’s reduced allocation in the expanded FIFA Women’s World Cup—from five slots to four—Pinnick reassured that thorough consultations were conducted before the decision was finalized.
“If there had been a strong case for increasing Africa’s slots, FIFA and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, as one of FIFA’s Vice Presidents, would have pushed for it,” he explained.
The other candidates seeking to represent Africa at the FIFA Council are Hany Abou Rida of Egypt and Fouzi Lekjaa of Morocco, both seeking re-election. Others are Ahmed Yahya (Mauritania), Souleiman Waberi (Djibouti), Idriss Diallo (Cote d’Ivoire), Mathurin Chakus (Benin), Augustine Senghor (Senegal), Djibrilla Pele Hamidou (Niger), and Andrew Kamanga (Zambia).
The former NFF president also weighed in on the controversial comment by former English footballer, Jamie Carragher, who described the Africa Cup of Nations as a minor competition.
Carragher, now a Sky Sports pundit, stirred controversy last weekend while discussing Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or. He claimed that the AFCON is not among football’s major tournaments and therefore not capable of enhancing Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or.
Describing the ex-England and Liverpool defender’s view as myopic, Pinnick assured fans that the upcoming 2025 AFCON in Morocco will surpass the recently concluded edition in Cote d’Ivoire.
“I think it is a very myopic opinion, and you can see the wave of attack because the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is growing beyond the imagination of so many people, and he might be talking subjectively.”
Pinnick argued that Salah’s performances for Liverpool this season have established him as a top contender for the award, saying that George Weah won the Ballon d’Or in 1995 on the back of his performances for AC Milan.
“When George Weah, in 1995 won the Ballon d’Or, Liberia were nowhere close to the AFCON. He won the award due to his performance when he was with AC Milan, and you look at what Mohamed Salah has done this season. That is super iconic,” he said.
