Sadio Mane Dashes Kenyan Fans’ Hopes Ahead of AFCON 2027 as He Follows in Riyad Mahrez’s Footsteps

Senegal superstar Sadio Mane has joined Algerian legend Riyad Mahrez in confirming that this is his last AFCON, dashing hopes of East African fans who hoped to see him in 2027.

Kenyan fans hoping to catch a glimpse of Senegal superstar Sadio Mane in Nairobi next year might not get the chance after all.

Mane is one of the star attractions on the continent following his exploits for the Teranga Lions and his clubs, especially Liverpool, Bayern Munich and now Al Nassr.

The 33-year-old is still producing top performances and exhibited it on Wednesday when his strike sent Senegal to the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where they will play against hosts Morocco on Sunday, having beaten Egypt 1-0 in the semi-final.

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After the game, Mane announced that the 2025 edition will be his last AFCON, a clear indication that he could be looking to retire from international football this year, especially after the 2026 World Cup.

Sadio Mane Drops AFCON Bombshell

“We knew how tough this game would be. We knew the strength of the Egyptian team and tried to learn from our past experiences,” Mane said after the game before dropping the bombshell.

“I am going to play my last AFCON final, and I will give everything to win it for my country,” he further said.

That means Mane, one of the biggest stars, will not be present when Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania host AFCON 2027, unless he has a change of heart, which dashes hopes of East African fans who had hoped to watch him live in the region.

Mane is the second high-profile player to confirm that the 2025 edition is their last AFCON, following in the footsteps of Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez.

Who Else Has Played His Last AFCON?

“I confirm, this was my last competition, it’s over. It’s sad that it stops at the quarter-final, as I would have liked to have gone further to try to win a second one,” Mane said after the Desert Foxes were beaten by Nigeria.

“Our generation has already won one AFCON and it was incredible, but now we have to shake hands and move on. The new generation still has time, still has time [to win] the AFCON, and to try to bring home another star to our country. That’s what they need to do.”

Mane is playing his sixth AFCON, having also featured in the 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023 editions, while he has made it to his third final following in 2019, which Senegal lost to Algeria, and the 2021 edition, which they won after a post-match shootout against Egypt.

The AFCON 2025 final will be his 29 match at the tournament where he has scored 11 goals and provided eight assists.