Mane: ‘Winning the World Cup with Senegal doesn’t feel like the Africa Cup of Nations’

Led by Sadio Mane, who scored a late penalty, Senegal defeated Salah’s Egypt 4-2 in Russian roulette to win the Copa Africa for the first time in their history.

After two failed finals in 2002 and 2019, the first Africa Cup of Nations took place last February. Bayern’s new striker was “thirsty” and emphasized that the next goal is the World Cup.

However, he argued that even crowning the world champions with Senegal would not feel like they had won the Africa Cup of Nations.

“I hope we win the World Cup because that would be great. But after winning the Africa Cup of Nations I’ve never felt anything like it in my life and I don’t think I will ever feel like that.”

Even if I win the World Cup with Senegal, I won’t feel what I felt when I won the trophy. I had never felt it in my life. I was ready to die there. Still, I have ambitions with Senegal: to do my best to win the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.

At the same time, he pointed out that while he was on the Southampton bench, Ronald Koeman had not allowed him to go to the Africa Cup of Nations.

“Ronald Koeman said to me: ‘Sorry Sadio, but you can’t go to the Africa Cup of Nations. It was like someone poured cold water on me. I almost cried, we didn’t get along with the coach . I asked the federation to put pressure on.”