Lion indomptable, lion insatiable ! The winner of the champions League (2019), the UEFA super cup (2019) and the club world Cup (2019), Sadio Mané has become by 2020 the first Senegalese to be crowned champion of England. Back on an extraordinary career path.
land of sand to lawns of Premier League
Born in Bambali, in a rural community in southern Senegal, Sadio Mane is still a toddler when he discovered the charms of spellbinding football. Quickly seduced, it is on the sandy soil of his village that he carried out his first dribble and sign his first goals. A growing passion that his father, imam of the locality, do not see a very good eye. Therefore, the footballer spent his younger years between the koranic school and working in the fields. But, weary of his situation, the young Sadio decides to leave the family home at the age of 15 years – in spite of the remonstrances of his relatives – and go to try his luck in Dakar. However, her fugue is a failure and the future attacker finds the way to his village.
Some time later, and with the agreement of his uncle – who has ensured the education of the footballer, on the death of his father, " Sadio Mané will eventually meet the trainers. Despite an equipment insecure (or a pair of shorts and shoes, damaged), the prodigy is spotted in m'bour, the largest city of football in Senegal. Subsequently, he joined the sports generation football, located in Dakar and antenna of FC Metz, who was spotted in the navétanes (football championships are organized between neighborhoods). Thus, begins the wonderful story of a future star of african football.
Read also CAN 2019 : Sadio Mané, this child of Bambali who wants to top Senegal
First footballer senegalese champion of England
In 2012, Sadio Mané made his professional debut in France, in Metz (Ligue 2). It does not shine in the suit of Garnet – his team is relegated to national –, he is spotted by the club's austrian Red Bull Salzburg and transferred for 4 million euros, the third-largest transfer fee in the history of the club messin. In Austria, the native of Bambali takes off. Holder indisputable, he played 87 meetings and recorded 45 goals, including 3 hat-tricks. Seduced by his vivacity, his technique and his finishing, the Premier League is interested in the prodigy. On September 1, 2014, Mané is transferred to Southampton for an amount of approximately 15 million euros. He finishes the season as the best scorer of the club with 15 achievements in all competitions.
But the consecration will come two years later. In June 2016, Sadio Mané signs for Liverpool on a five-year contract for a transfer of € 36 million. It will then become the third Senegalese to join the club after El Hadji Diouf and Salif Diao. Very quickly, he convinces fans of the Reds of its impact and makes it indispensable on the plan offensive. Vice-champion of England in 2019, Sadio Mané became joint-top scorer in the Premier League – with his team-mate Mohamed Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal, all 22 goals on the counter). In 154 appearances in the jersey of the Reds, the Senegalese has scored 79 goals and delivered 23 assists and, during his last two seasons, he has won the champions League (2019), the UEFA super cup (2019), the club world Cup (2019) and the Premier League (2020). It has thus become the first footballer senegalese to be crowned champion of England.
Read also the champions League : Salah-Mane, a duo stratospheric !
The dream of a golden Ball
Finally, in selection, Sadio Mané has included the Lions of Teranga to the finals of the Africa Cup of nations in 2019. Author of three goals and one assist in six games, the striker of Reds, nevertheless, remains silent in the face Algeria in the final, and lets out his dreams of sacre continental. It comforted just the same with the title of best african player of 2019, in front of his rivals, Mohamed Salah and Riyad Mahrez.
also Read Football : the Ballon d'or african Sadio Mané !
But the attacker 28-year-old can see further and dream now to win the reward individual, the most prestigious prize for a footballer : the golden Ball. Thanks to his great season 2018-2019, the attacker of the Lions of Teranga to finish fourth in the ranking in 2019. A disappointment for those who hoped that his course during the CAN in Egypt opens wide the doors of the trophy. Since George Weah, winner in 1995, no African has won. A rite of Sadio Mané would put an end to nearly a quarter of a century of absence at the table of honor.
