The confessions and XXL ambitions of Sadio Mané after his coronation at the CAN

Crowned with the Lions of Teranga, for the first time in its history, during the last African Cup of Nations, Sadio Mané (29) continues to establish himself a little more as an essential player in the football world. Sparkling in the Liverpool jersey, evidenced by his 12 achievements in the Premier League since the start of the season, the Senegalese striker has therefore added a line to his CV by lifting this CAN so awaited in Senegal. Author of the decisive penalty during the penalty shootout in the final against Egypt (0-0 ap, 4 tab to 2), the number 10 of the Reds also returned to this liberating episode.

“However, it was jostling a lot in my head. I told myself that seventeen million Senegalese were waiting for me, watching me. It’s heavy on the shoulders. I had no right to disappoint them. I also wondered how I was going to deceive this goalkeeper (Gabal) who had stopped my penalty a few minutes earlier. I absolutely had to catch up. I also repeated to myself everything that my teammates had just told me, just before I left to shoot. They surrounded me saying, ‘Sadio, we’re going to do it. We have complete confidence in you. We will all succeed together as since the start of the competition. This collective strength is the one that allowed us to go all the way and that saved me from shaking.admitted Mané in an interview with France Soccer.

Sadio Mané sets two XXL goals!

Proud and dressed, even a little more, in the costume of a national hero, Sadio Mané still keeps his head on his shoulders. A personality he describes as “calm and reserved” in an environment where he ensures, despite everything, « find his place » : “There are not only excesses and excessiveness in football. I am Sadio Mané and I do Sadio Mané, that is to say that I am indeed more withdrawn. But I am very happy with my situation and my life as a footballer. (…) The life of Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo? I love their extraordinary life but that life is not made for me.. Filled with this title on the continental scene, the child of Bambali is finally projecting himself on the rest of his career and the ambitions are very present.

Not retained in the list of nominees for the last Ballon d’Or 2021, the Reds striker has not yet completely digested it but intends to work hard to hope to lift this prestigious individual award one day: “I’m so hungry that I stay on the lookout for what’s good and beautiful to devour. And the Ballon d’Or is necessarily part of it. But I don’t want to talk too much about it now. », he conceded. One thing is certain, with the recent changes made to the voting rules and after being crowned African champion last February, the former Messin remains more than ever in the race. Even if for him, one thing is still missing…

“The World Cup is my new dream. But before that, we will have to qualify, but I want to believe in somewhat crazy projects and the one that consists of winning the World Cup with Senegal is one of them. If we succeed, of course, I will get closer to all the players who apply for the Ballon d’Or every year. If I win the World Cup, I think it will become a goal, yes”thus recognized Mané and among the players applying every year for the Ballon d’Or, Mané must necessarily think of a certain Kylian Mbappé whom he would even like to see evolve alongside him: “yes, playing with him would please me of course. It would be an exceptional combination. He just has to come to Liverpool. I’m sure he’d like it. ». But at the risk of disappointing the Senegalese, the future of the Bondynois seems rather clearly to take shape on the side of the Merengues …