Senegal have confirmed that Sadio Mane will miss the World Cup due to being unable to recover from an injury.
Mane was hurt in Bayern Munich’s 6-1 win over Werder Bremen last week. He was substituted in the 20th minute and the German club later said he had suffered an injury to the fibula bone in his lower right leg.
However, the 30-year-old was still included in Senegal’s 26-man squad for the World Cup.
Abdoulaye Sow, a second vice-president at the Senegal football federation, said Senegal would have to cope without their best player for the start of the tournament and “not whine too much”.
But it has now been confirmed that Mane will miss the tournament in Qatar.
News of his absence will be a bitter blow to the Africa Cup of Nations champions, with Mane being one of the most important members of the squad.
Senegal won their first major title at the Africa Cup of Nations in February, when Mane scored the winning penalty in a shootout to beat Egypt in the final. The 30-year-old also scored the decisive spot-kick in a play-off that sealed Senegal’s place in Qatar.
Senegal’s first game is against the Netherlands on Monday, November 21.
They play hosts Qatar four days later and then Ecuador on November 29
— Ferdinand A Baah
