From Withdrawal to Glory: Mane's Africa Chapter Revealed

AFCON Triumph and the African Chapter

Sadio Mane, the Senegalese star, says lifting the Africa Cup of Nations would be a milestone in his career and he is proud to have his name etched in Africa's football records.

He told BeIN Sports, “Praise be to God for everything. It’s a big day for me with mixed emotions, but I am very happy... many legends have crossed Africa’s stage, and I wanted to write my own chapter in this continent.”

On what happened after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty for Morocco, he said, “The strange thing is that the team, the coach, and everyone decided to stop the match; I didn’t understand what happened.”

“I took advice from some people who said we should keep playing,” he added. “I went to the coach and told him we mustn’t leave. I don’t care what happens, we must finish the match, and that’s what we did. We were lucky in the end... stopping the game would be crazy when the world is watching us.”

Asked about his international retirement, Mane said, “I will try to play at the 2026 World Cup and then retire from international football.”

On his future with Al Nassr, he stated, “The Saudi league is highly competitive; you should know that. I’m working hard to remain at a good and big level... the Saudi league is very strong.”

Punchline: If Mane keeps scoring at this rate, even the trophy will ask for his autograph.

Punchline 2: Retirement plans? Just a passport to more trophies and more press conferences—he’s basically collecting souvenirs from the globe’s pitches.