[Le Match] Sadio Mane-Mo Salah: Qui est le meilleur de sa génération?
They defined an era, embodied the excellence of African football, and dominated the biggest European stages. Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah: two parallel paths, two natural leaders, two icons of a continent. This Wednesday at the Grand Stade de Tanger, in the semi-final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, the Senegalese and the Egyptian may meet for the last time in the tournament, in a duel steeped in history and symbolism.
Rival teammates at Liverpool, Mané and Salah long shared the Reds' attack, contributing to one of the English club's most successful periods. But when playing for their national teams, the rivalry often went in favor of the Senegalese star. At the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, Sadio Mané got the better of Mohamed Salah in the final, giving Senegal their first continental title, before denying Egypt a place at the 2022 World Cup in the playoffs.
Salah, an impressive individual record
At 33, Mohamed Salah boasts an impressive individual and team record. With 112 caps and 64 goals for the Pharaohs, the Egyptian striker has won the English Premier League title three times – once with Chelsea and twice with Liverpool. A two-time African Footballer of the Year in 2018 and 2019, and three-time Premier League top scorer, he has also won the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, the Club World Cup, an FA Cup, two League Cups, and a Community Shield with the Reds.
Having made his name at FC Basel, then spent a relatively unsuccessful time at Chelsea before reviving his career at Fiorentina and AS Roma, Salah reached another level at Liverpool in 2017, where he established himself as one of the best strikers in the world.
Mané: Legend, star and national hero
Facing him, Sadio Mané has nothing to envy. The Senegalese player boasts 122 caps and 51 goals and remains to this day the hero of the historic 2021 Africa Cup of Nations victory. A two-time African Footballer of the Year in 2019 and 2022, he has won the Champions League in 2019, the Premier League in 2020, the UEFA Super Cup, the Club World Cup, the FA Cup, and the English League Cup. In 2022, he finished second to Benzema in the France Football Ballon d'Or, the most prestigious individual award in football.
Having come through the ranks at Génération Foot before a stint at Metz, Mané exploded onto the scene at RB Salzburg and then in the Premier League with Southampton. His career reached its peak at Liverpool, where he played 260 matches and scored 120 goals. After a spell at Bayern Munich, he is now continuing his career at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
So, who is the best of their generation? Salah impresses with his consistency, his statistics, and his constant attacking influence at club level. Like Salah, Mané also stands out for his impact in major international tournaments and his pivotal role in the greatest success in the history of Senegalese football.
This Wednesday in Tangier, the stakes go far beyond a simple semi-final. While Sadio Mané aims for a second continental title with the Lions of Teranga, Mohamed Salah continues his quest for his first African title, to reinforce the hegemony of the Pharaohs, seven-time African champions. A final duel, perhaps, to separate two giants of a golden generation of African football.
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J'en profite pour souhaiter a nos LIONS un succes, un bon match dans la paix et l'harmonie.
JAZAK ALLAH KHAIR.
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This is what I do......................................... CASH54.COM
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