Sadio Mané announces international retirement after Senegal's World Cup elimination

Sadio Mané announced Thursday his international retirement, the day after Senegal’s elimination by Belgium (2-3) in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 34-year-old Al Nasser forward thus closes the book on fourteen years spent wearing the Lions of Teranga jersey.

In an official statement published by Le Quotidien, Mané justified his decision by a sense of complete accomplishment: “I sacrificed everything for this flag. I gave the best of myself and always fought fiercely for our Nation.” The former Liverpool forward leaves behind an unmatched international record: 130 caps — the second-highest total in Senegalese history — and 54 goals, an absolute record.

His international career was marked by defining moments. Present at two World Cups (2018 and 2026) and six Africa Cups of Nations, he led Senegal to its first continental title in 2021, ending decades of drought for a country that had already reached the final in 2002 and 2019. He also participated in the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations final, whose outcome was surrounded by controversy.

Mané does not intend to sever ties with the national team permanently. “Tomorrow, it would be with pleasure that I put my experience at the service of the Nation,” he wrote, suggesting a possible transition as head coach or member of the technical staff.

His retirement comes amid a generational transition marked by the 2026 World Cup, where several historic figures of world football may have played their last World Cup. For Senegal, the challenge will now be to build a new identity without the man who has long been its most visible symbol on the international stage.