TANGIER, Morocco – Following Senegal’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Egypt in the 2025 AFCON semi-final, Lions of Teranga star Sadio Mané set aside the on-pitch rivalry to offer a heartfelt tribute to his former Liverpool teammate, Mohamed Salah.
Mané, whose 78th-minute strike secured Senegal’s place in the final, spent his post-match interview praising the resilience of the Egyptian side and the quality of their captain.
While Senegal currently holds the upper hand in the continent’s biggest rivalry, Mané, who also walked away with the Man of the Match award against Egypt, was quick to show respect to the seven-time champions.
“As I’ve always said, Egypt is, for me, the best ever team in Africa. And today [Wednesday night at the Grande Stade de Tangier], they showed it again. Wow, what a team,” Mané told journalists.
The match was a cagey affair, with Senegal struggling to break down a resolute Egyptian defence for much of the night. Mané admitted that the Lions had to show immense discipline to overcome a side led by one of the world’s elite talents.
MANE SHOWS RESPECT FOR MO SALAH
During their time together at Liverpool, their rivalry defined African football, yet Mané insisted that his respect for Salah remains as high as ever.
“We struggled, but we kept patient, facing this great player, especially Mo Salah, one of the best players in the world,” Mané said. “He is always giving his best for his team, unfortunately for him today as well. But this is part of football. I just want to say: get up and keep fighting for your dream.”
Mané also highlighted the danger posed by Egypt’s attacking duo of Salah and Omar Marmoush, noting that Senegal’s game plan focused heavily on not losing the ball in dangerous areas. “They have some of the best players in the world, Marmoush and Mo, so you can’t give them the chance to punish you.”
The victory marks a historic run for Senegal, who have now reached the final in three of the last four editions of the tournament. Despite losing captain Kalidou Koulibaly to injury early in the match, replaced by 20-year-old Mamadou Sarr, the Teranga Lions held firm.
“At the end of the day, we scored the only goal,” Mané concluded. “I will say we deserved to win.”
Senegal will now face host nation Morocco in the final on Sunday in Rabat, as they look to win the AFCON for the second time.
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