SADIO MANE must be losing track of his growing collection of footballing crowns.
Being named as Africa’s favourite prince by the Confederation of African Football is the latest royal accolade to come his way since June 1 last year.
Mane can become the best player on the planet, says Cisse
King of Europe, King of the World and soon to be King of England with Liverpool, the 27-year-old is on course to being anointed one of his continent’s greatest ever players.
And yet, according to one of his closest and dearest pals, these achievements should be just the beginning.
Mane’s fellow Senegal star, Papiss Cisse, believes the Ballon d’Or is next on the list.
The Alanyaspor striker, 34, said: “Mane is doing very well at Liverpool and I knew he would make it to the top — but he can do even more.
“If you are doing something like this and reaching these levels then you cannot stop, you need to push again to show you can do even more.
“Every time we speak on the phone I tell him ‘You can do it, you can become the very best. Believe in yourself’.”
Cisse first saw his mate’s potential in the summer of 2012, six months after joining Newcastle from Bundesliga side Freiburg.
The Toon star was a key man for Senegal, having just led the attack in the African Cup of Nations at the age of 26.
That summer, 247 miles away from St James’ Park in London, Mane was making a name for himself at the Olympics as a sprightly 20-year-old.
It was a world away from both players’ start in life — Cisse in Sedhiou and Mane less than ten miles away in the more agricultural town of Bambali.
Different areas but similar experiences, claims Cisse, who described his childhood as a happy one but a poor one.
He said: “As a young kid growing up there, it was great. I felt free. I was young and you could run everywhere.
“We would go into the forest and cut fruit off like mangos and oranges.
“I miss it all sometimes but life was hard growing up as I didn’t have all the things I now give to my own son.
“Our family was very poor but we had a lot of happiness with kids enjoying life. It was a very small city but we were very, very happy.”
They both arrived in the country’s capital Dakar to attend the Generation Foot academy but differed once again — this time in their initial ambitions.
I never thought in my life you could earn this much money. I have now helped pay for more hospitals, ambulances and medicine than I could have ever imagined.
Papiss Cisse
Mane fled his home at the age of 15 in search of his footballing dream.
When Cisse was a similar age he too had been living his dream as an ambulance driver, until he was pushed towards football where he would find a better quality of life.
He explained: “I never thought in my life you could earn this much money.
“I have now helped pay for more hospitals, ambulances and medicine than I could have ever imagined.
“Last year they wanted another ambulance as the other I put money towards was five or six years old. I will always help them.”
Come 2014 and both were forging careers in the Premier League, Cisse with Newcastle and Mane at Southampton.
They would finally come together wearing the colours of their country, where Cisse would learn just how gifted and driven his younger team-mate was.
Sadio Mane was named African Football’s Player of the Year for 2019Credit: caf_online
He added: “For me, it shouldn’t matter who you play football with, as football is a language in itself.
“And playing in the same team as Mane was no different — we were able to speak the same language because he is so intelligent with and without the ball.
“I felt a special connection, as does everyone who gets to play with him.”
*Coming tomorrow — Cisse on THAT goal against Chelsea…
Sadio Mane’s village erupts as Liverpool star is named African player of the year
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
