It looks like another world-class player will miss out on the 2022 FIFA World Cup due to a late injury!
However, unlike the other superstars who have been ruled out (Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Timo Werner, Paul Pogba, Diogo Jota, etc), this player wasn't simply a talented member of a star-studded nation, but the attacking hope for his country.
That man is none other than Sadio Mane, the Bayern Munich ace who picked up an unfortunate injury in his club's most recent fixture. The former Liverpool talent suffered a knock on Tuesday during the 6-1 victory over Werder Bremen, with concern swiftly arising regarding his participation in Qatar 2022.
The 30-year-old hurt his tibia, Julian Nagelsmann confirmed, and was forced off the pitch after only 20 minutes. While the Bundesliga giants and their manager have not issued a public statement regarding the scale of his injury, L'Equipe report that the player will not be able to represent Senegal at the FIFA World Cup this year.
An X-ray is necessary for clarification but the French publication claim he will be out for several weeks. This means that Mane, who was preparing for possibly his final FIFA World Cup, might end up watching the tournament from home instead.
This will be a huge blow to the champions of Africa. After leading them to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring the decisive spot kick during the penalty shootout against Egypt in the final, Sadio went on to secure qualification for Qatar 2022 for the Lions of Terange a while later, once again beating the Pharaohs.
There are other household names available to Aliou Cissé such as Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly. while Watford winger Ismaïla Sarr is a promising forward. However, Mane is beloved back home, not only due to his unmatched skills but also his philanthropy, and will thus be missed if ruled out for the upcoming tournament.
The Africa Cup of Nations champions have until November 14 to name their final 26-man squad for their trip to the Middle East, meaning Senegal have time to determine the extent of Sadio's injury and find a replacement if he is unable to recover. The Lions of Teranga kick off their campaign on November 21, facing the mighty Netherlands in their very first game.
