Bayern Munich star Sadio Mane helped a group of young football fans in his hometown receive signed shirts in the latest of his many touching gestures.
The Senegal international, who joined Bayern from Liverpool over the summer, has done a lot for the village of Bambali, where he grew up. He spent £450,000 to help build a hospital there in 2021, also putting money towards a school, post office and petrol station.
Mane, 30, regularly travels back to Senegal during the European off-season, making a trip shortly after representing Liverpool in the 2022 Champions League final. He is set to represent the Lions of Taranga at the upcoming World Cup, and continues to show his support for football fans and others back home.
According to TNT Sports, Mane and the club were asked if the forward would be open to signing a case of Bayern shirts bound for Bambali. Not only did the player agree, but he was filmed sending the shirts on their way.
TNT documented the trip, first to capital city Dakar and then on to the village. It was there that the home and away shirts were handed out to a group of youngsters on a football pitch, with several kids enjoying a kickabout wearing identical 'Mane 17' Bayern shirts.
Mane himself was handed the Socrates Award at October's Ballon d'Or ceremony. It was the first time the award, described by organisers France Football as going to "best social initiative by committed champions", has been handed out.
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"Sometimes, I'm a bit shy when it comes to talking about it, but I'm really happy to do what I can for our people and to make things better," the former Southampton frontman said upon receiving his award. In addition to his help building facilities in Senegal, he donated to the Senegalese National Committee in an effort to support their response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the start of 2022, Mane scored the decisive penalty in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations to help his country beat Egypt to the title. It was the first time they have ever won the tournament, after two previous runner-up finishes.
Mane also scored the winning penalty in a shootout against Egypt to help his team book their place at the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. Senegal have been drawn against the hosts, with Ecuador and Netherlands completing their group.
He left Liverpool over the summer after six seasons at Anfield, during which time he won the Premier League and Champions League, among other honours. He has six goals in 12 Bundesliga appearances for his new club and has also netted three times in the Champions League.
