Despite all the hopes, Bayern Munich’s attacking star Sadio Mané is not in Senegal’s World Cup squad. A major setback for the African champions.
Sadio Mané had hoped until the last second – and with him all of Senegal. But four days before the start of the World Cup for the African champions, team doctor Manuel Afonso announced the sad news. An MRI on Thursday (11/17/2022) showed that “the development is not as favorable as we had imagined”team doctor Manuel Afonso is quoted in the message.
Mane was therefore successfully operated on in Innsbruck in the evening, FC Bayern announced. he will “in the coming days” start rehab. National coach Aliou Cisse initially called Mané into his squad despite his right fibula head injury.
Injury in the game against Bremen
The team, which some observers considered secret favorites, must now do without their leader. In Group A, Senegal meet hosts Qatar (November 25) and Ecuador (November 29) in addition to title contenders Netherlands.
Mané was injured in the penultimate Bundesliga game before the World Cup break against Werder Bremen (6-1), preceded by a seemingly harmless duel with Amos Pieper. Mané’s coach Julian Nagelsmann suspected bad shortly afterwards. “It’s clear that Senegal would like him to play”, said the Bayern coach. However: “If he’s in pain, he won’t be able to play, even if the federation would like him to.”
Mané is a folk hero in Senegal
Mané (30) is a national hero in Senegal, having scored 33 goals and assisted 20 more in 92 international matches. In February he led his country to their first ever African Cup of Nations triumph and then to the World Cup in March. After Mané’s injury, even President Macky Sall worried about the soccer star: “Sadio, heart of a lion! All my heart is with you. God bless you!”