It was in south-west Senegal that he began playing football on its red earth-lined streets and sandy pitches and where, aged 13, he watched Liverpool's famous comeback against AC Milan in the Champions League final in 2005. Mane scored the winning penalty against Egypt in the final of the 2021 edition and described it as "the best day of my life and the best trophy of my life". The forward now has the chance to win a second Afcon title when Senegal face Morocco on Sunday in Rabat (19:00 GMT) - and potentially bow out from the tournament in a blaze of glory. "We know how to play the final," Mane said after his second-half strike saw off Egypt in the last four. I will be very happy to play my last Afcon final, to enjoy it and to make my country win."

Source: BBC January 18, 2026 19:37 UTC