Senegal Hope Morocco Final Will Not Be Mane’s AFCON Goodbye

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw on Saturday said he hoped the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco would not be Sadio Mane’s last ever game at the tournament, insisting the former Liverpool star could not consider walking away from the team.

“His decision is no longer up to him. There is a whole people behind him too and they would like to see him continue,” Thiaw told reporters in Rabat on the eve of the final against the host nation.

Mane, 33, said after Wednesday’s semi-final against Egypt in which he scored the winner, that he would not play at another Cup of Nations.

His comments indicated that he may retire from international football altogether following the World Cup in North America in June and July, by which time he will be 34.

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The next Cup of Nations is due to take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

“I think he made his decision in the heat of the monment and the country does not agree, and I as coach of the national team do not agree at all,” said Thiaw.

“We would like to keep him for as long as possible.”

The former Liverpool star helped Senegal win the Cup of Nations for the first time in their history in 2022, scoring the winning penalty in the shoot-out in the final against Egypt.

The two-time winner of the African player of the year prize also played in the side that lost the 2019 final to Algeria — Sunday’s match will be Senegal’s third final in four editions of AFCON.

“Sadio is an exceptional player, who would have deserved to win a Ballon d’Or. Above all he is just an incredible man,” said defender Moussa Niakhate.

“He doesn’t have a big ego. He just works hard and loves his country — the fact this is his sixth AFCON shows his longevity and consistency.”

Meanwhile the Senegal coach expressed anger at the welcome his team received on arriving in the Moroccan capital on Friday.

The Lions of Teranga travelled to Rabat having been based in the northern port city of Tangiers since the start of the competition.

The Senegalese Football Federation released a statement late on Friday complaining about “serious concerns” including a “lack of adequate security” for the team’s arrival “which put the players and staff at risk”.

It also complained about the hotel offered to the delegation, about the number of tickets given to their supporters for the final, and said they were not happy at being offered a training pitch at the Moroccan team’s base.

“What happened yesterday was not normal,” insisted Thiaw.

“Given the number there, anything could have happened. My players could have been in danger.

“That type of thing should not happen between two brother countries.”

The final brings together the top two teams in Africa according to the FIFA rankings, with Morocco hoping to make the most of home advantage to take the AFCON title for the first time in 50 years.

There is, however, enormous pressure on the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists to take the trophy.

“We dreamt of being here and now we are, but the last step will be the hardest one,” said Morocco coach Walid Regragui.

“Senegal are a great side and this is their third final out of four, but it is great for African football to have a final between the two best teams.”

He added: “How we handle the emotion of the occasion will be important. We can’t put too much pressure on ourselves.

“The final is 50/50 but maybe it will be 51 percent in our favour with the crowd behind us.”