Is AFCON a major tournament?

Mohamed Salah before receiving his silver medal after the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations final.
“Is the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) a major tournament?  That question sparked a heated debate following comments made by former Liverpool defender and current TV pundit Jamie Carragher. On Sunday evening, after Mohamed Salah’s stellar performance against Manchester City—where he scored and assisted in Liverpool’s 2-0 win—Carragher questioned Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or. Despite Salah’s unprecedented statistical run—25 goals and 16 assists this Premier League season with still a third of the season to go—Carragher suggested that Salah is at a disadvantage because he represents Egypt, implying that even winning AFCON wouldn’t significantly boost his Ballon d’Or credentials. …”
Africa Is a Country