It’s the end of an era for one of Africa’s greatest players, Sadio Mané, who has retired from the Senegal national team!

The 34-year-old attacking midfielder had planned to step down from his national team after this year’s World Cup, in which his country reached the “Round of 32” of the tournament, falling to Belgium. And that’s exactly what happened, with Mané issuing an exclusive statement published in the newspaper Le Quotidien.

“You should know that I sacrificed everything for this flag. I gave my all and always fought hard for our country,” said Mané, who won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022, as well as the 2025 edition—even though that title was officially awarded several months later in Morocco.

Mané has played in 130 matches for the Senegal national team, scoring 54 goals.

*photo source: AP