For Sadio Mane, it began in Bambali.
It was in south-west Senegal that he started enjoying soccer on its crimson earth-lined streets and sandy pitches and the place, aged 13, he watched Liverpool’s well-known comeback towards AC Milan within the Champions League last in 2005.
Since then he has gone on to elevate each that prestigious trophy and the Premier League with the Reds, in addition to claiming the Africa Cup of Nations title with the Teranga Lions.
Mane scored the profitable penalty towards Egypt within the last of the 2021 version and described it as “one of the best day of my life and one of the best trophy of my life”.
A stadium was named after him within the metropolis of Sedhiou, just below 4 hours from his hometown, following that triumph as a recognition of his achievements.
The ahead now has the possibility to win a second Afcon title when Senegal face Morocco on Sunday in Rabat (19:00 GMT) – and probably bow out from the event in a blaze of glory.
“We all know tips on how to play the ultimate,” Mane mentioned after his second-half strike noticed off Egypt within the final 4.
“A last is supposed to be received. I shall be very completely satisfied to play my final Afcon last, to take pleasure in it and to make my nation win.”
Midfielder Pape Gueye says the squad intention to persuade Mane, who he known as “a legend of Senegal”, to vary his thoughts about this being his last Afcon and stay with the workforce for at the least the 2027 version in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
“We’ll attempt to preserve him with us a bit longer, as a result of he nonetheless has some nice years to present,” the 26-year-old Villarreal man instructed BBC Afrique.
“I heard what he mentioned and we’ll see what he decides to do. However we actually need him to stick with us for a lot of extra years.”
