Sadio Mané (born 10 April 1992) is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr and the Senegal national team. Known for his pressing, dribbling and speed, Mané is often considered one of the greatest African players of all time.
Mané began his professional career with Ligue 2 club Metz at the age of 19, but he departed after a solitary season to join Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg in 2012 for a fee of €4 million, winning a league and cup domestic double in the 2013–14 season. Later that summer, Mané transferred to English club Southampton for a club-record fee of £11.8 million. There, he set a new Premier League record for the fastest hat-trick, scored in 176 seconds in a 6–1 win over Aston Villa in 2015.
Sadio Mané: “I left without telling anyone, apart from my best friend. I walked for a long time to meet up with a friend who loaned me some money so that I could take the bus to Dakar. I was welcomed by a family whom I did not know.
I immediately took part in training sessions at recognised teams. There were 200 or 300 youngsters who were waiting in line for their chance, it started badly for me because when I presented myself, I was laughed at. I did not look like a footballer. I was wearing pants that looked nothing like football shorts and my football boots were completely shredded on the sides and had been repaired by me with the wire the best I could.
Those who oversaw the trials would look at me with a bizarre facial expression: ‘You want to become a footballer?’ I understood them but I did not have a choice. As I was not that bad, they took me. That was the beginning of my adventure and Now I am the Champions of Africa” Sadio Reveals
