RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has appealed for star forward Sadio Mané to reconsider his decision to make this Africa Cup of Nations his last.
Mané, the two-time African Footballer of the Year, is playing in his sixth Africa Cup and fired Senegal into the final by scoring for a 1-0 win over Egypt in the semifinals. The 33-year-old Mané told journalists after that match that this will be his last Africa Cup.
Thiaw said Saturday that he hopes Mané will listen to the will of the Senegalese people.
“There’s a nation behind him. This nation would like to see him continue because he made this decision in the heat of the moment. And the country doesn’t agree,” Thiaw said a day before Senegal faces host nation Morocco for the decider. “And I, as the coach, don’t agree at all. We’d like to keep him as long as possible.”
Mané led Senegal to the 2021 Africa Cup title and has been leading the team at this edition with captain Kalidou Koulibaly suspended for one game earlier in the tournament and again for Sunday’s final.
Mané’s goal against Egypt was his 11th altogether in the Africa Cup. He has also set up nine more.
“He’s a legend. Everywhere. For Africa. He represents Africa, he represents the world. He’s an example! We need people like him in this life. He teaches life lessons, his resilience, his education, and how he gives his all for Senegal,” Thiaw said. “He gave his life so we could win this tournament (in 2021), so we could get our first star.”
Thiaw said he doesn’t want to see Mané leave, “and his teammates don’t either.”
Defender Moussa Niakhaté said he didn’t have enough time to explain what Mané represents for Senegalese and African soccer.
“What defines Sadio is hard work, love for his country. And as he declared after the match against Egypt, this will be his last Africa Cup game, his sixth Africa Cup, so it shows his longevity and consistency,” Niakhaté said before Senegal goes for its second title. “We owe it to him to bring him back that second star.”
Mané still has the World Cup to come before he quits the national team. The Teranga Lions have been drawn in a group with France, Norway and then a playoff winner between Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq.
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