AFCON 2023 will be most challenging edition – Sadio Mane
By Biwah Bryan
The AFCON 2023 will be more daunting, Sadio Mane told CAFOnline as he spoke about Senegal’s title defense.
In the interview granted a few days to the 34th AFCON, the Teranga Lions captain noted that all of Africa’s major football nations had qualified for the tournament in Côte d’Ivoire. “We are expecting a tough competition” he said.
“This competition will be one of the strongest since I started playing in it because all the big countries are here and they all have their targets, but we will see what will happen”, Mane added.
“We know it won’t be easy but we will be there to do our best and try to go through every round.”
The Al-Nassr striker said winning the AFCON was “the best trophy I have ever won in my life”, adding that coming to do it again will be “special and a big achievement”.
As someone who grew up dreaming of playing in the AFCON, Mane expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and the impact that winning the tournament would have on his country’s football scene.
Senegal will begin their title defense against The Gambia on January 15 and face Cameroon three days later before concluding their Group C campaign against Guinea on January 23.
