Sadio Mane has been regarded as a national hero, not just for his performances but his determination to play through injury.
It wasn’t a normal injury either, our No.10 suffered a serious head injury that should have seen him instantly removed from the pitch and then from action for the following game at least.
Instead, the Senegalese medics allowed him to play on and the Instagram page for the nation’s football team have celebrated the event.
The 29-year-old’s clash of heads with the Cape Verde ‘keeper is replayed twice before a clip of his goal is then shown afterwards.
Celebrating the winger overcoming adversity and injury to play on and score, rather than apologising for putting him in the position to risk his health.
We’re all for the sentiment of getting behind the former Southampton winger and the caption of ‘what a player’ but it all seems ill-judged.
Thankfully he’s okay and looks set to feature in the semi-final where he will have the aims of getting into an AFCON final, as the primary thought in his head.
You can view the Mane video via Football Senegal on Instagram:
#Ep31 of The Red Nets Podcast: The poor handling of Mane, what the hell are NFTs?… and more!