Mane: AFCON Win Best Trophy of My Career

Sadio Mane has admitted that winning Senegal’s first Africa Cup of Nations is the highlight honour of his career.

He scored the winning penalty in the shootout against Egypt, having seen a first-half spot-kick saved as Sunday’s game ended 0-0 after extra time.

The West Africans had previously lost two Nations Cup finals, including a 1-0 defeat by Algeria three years ago.

“It’s the best day of my life and the best trophy of my life,” the 29-year-old Liverpool forward said.

“I won the Champions League and some (other) trophies but this is the special one for me. This is more important for me.

“I am happy for myself, my people and all of my family.”

Mane had been given a chance to give Senegal an early lead in Cameroon after Saliou Ciss was brought down in the area by Mohamed Abdelmonem in the fourth minute.

However, he saw his attempt beaten away by Egypt keeper Gabaski.

Mane credits his team-mates with giving him the strength to return in the shootout, where he sealed a 4-2 triumph.

“When I missed the first penalty, it was a big blow for me,” he said.

“But my team-mates came to me and said ‘Sadio, we lose together and we win together. We know you. You have done too much for us – keep on going’.

“That made me stronger and I think it made the difference when I got the second one.

“All the boys came to me and said ‘Sadio, we trust you’ and that gave me more motivation. The trophy belongs to the whole Senegal team – everyone deserves it.”

Mane was also named player of the tournament, and the morning after the final he posted a picture of himself in bed with the trophy and his winner’s medal.

Gabaski’s save from Mane in Yaounde was the fourth time the Senegalese had been foiled from 12 yards when playing at the Nations Cup.

Mane saw his effort saved in the quarter final shootout defeat by Cameroon in 2017 and two years later he failed to convert in the group game against Kenya

and the last-16 tie with Uganda- although he did score in both of those games.

Former Nigeria striker Daniel Amokachi, a Nations Cup winner in 1994, said Mane “showed a lot of character” to take a penalty again in the shootout against the Pharaohs.

“I wasn’t feeling it when he stepped forward, but you can see how he drilled that ball into the corner,” Amokachi told the BBC World Service.

“That’s what a star player is all about. I did say that we’ve seen him miss chances when playing for Liverpool but the character that he puts into the game, the quality always comes through in the end,” stressed the former power player fondly called “The Bull” .