AFCON 2021: Salah will always be a great player – Mane after 4-2 defeat against Egypt

Senegal forward, Sadio Mane, has revealed his conversation with Egypt’s Mohamed Salah after his winning penalty downed the Pharaohs in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final on Sunday night.

Mane, a teammate of Salah’s at Liverpool, went straight to the tearful Egyptian captain after Senegal defeated Egypt 4-2 on penalties to win the AFCON in Cameroon.

Mane and Salah went head-to-head in the 2021 AFCON final tie, and after agonizingly losing on penalties, the latter couldn’t help but shed a tear.

Mane was quick to comfort Salah and offer words of encouragement to the Egyptian winger.

Asked what he told Salah, Mane said at his post-match press conference, “I told Salah that he will always be a great player and that I fully respect him.

“I also told him that he still has many things to win, including the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.”

Mane added, “It’s unbelievable, it was difficult, but we always believed in ourselves, we would like to thank God and the fans who were by our side.”