RABAT, Morocco (AP) – Senegal coach Pape Thiau has appealed to star forward Sadio Mane to reconsider his decision. africa cup of nations his last.
Mane, a two-time African Player of the Year, was playing in his sixth African Cup, scoring in a 1-0 win over Egypt in the semi-finals to lead Senegal to the final. Mane, 33, told reporters after the match that this would be his last African Cup.
Mr. Thiau said on Saturday that he hoped Mr. Mane would listen to the will of the Senegalese people.
“There is a country behind him. This country wants him to continue because he made this decision in the heat of the moment. And the country does not agree,” Thiau said a day before Senegal faced hosts Morocco in the final. “And as a coach I totally disagree. We want to keep him as long as possible.”
Mane led Senegal to the 2021 Africa Cup title and continues to lead his side in this competition despite captain Kalidou Koulibaly being suspended for one match at the start of the tournament and suspended again for Sunday’s final.
Mane’s goal against Egypt was his 11th goal in the African Cup. He founded nine more.
“He is a legend. He is everywhere. For Africa. He represents Africa, he represents the world. He is an example! We need people like him in this life. He will teach us life lessons, resilience, education and how to give our all for Senegal,” Thiau said. “He gave his life so that we could win this competition (in 2021) and so that we could get our first star.”
Thiau said he doesn’t want to see Mane leave, “and neither do his teammates.”
Defender Moussa Niahate said there was not enough time to explain that Mane is a representative of Senegalese and African football.
“What characterizes Sadio is hard work and love for his country. And as he declared after the game against Egypt, this will be his last African Cup match and his sixth. So this shows his longevity and stability,” said Niahate before Senegal’s bid for a second title. “We owe it to him to bring back our second star.”
Mane still has a World Cup left before he quits the national team. Teranga Lions were placed in a group with France and Norway and faced the winner of Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq in the play-offs.
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Associated Press on Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations
