"I don't have much to say about my joy after this award. I don't want to talk about what I do for the benefit of my people. I am happy to win the Socrates Prize. I wish the best for my country, Senegal, and I will always strive to achieve it."

With these shy words, Senegalese star Sadio Mane spoke moments after being crowned with the newly created "Socrates" award, at the Golden Ball award ceremony organized by the French magazine "France Football". The award is given to players who participate in charitable and humanitarian works, and struggle to support the poor. and disadvantaged children, contribute to social and health projects, and support efforts to protect the environment and climate.

The award was established in cooperation with the “Peace and Sports” organization, and named it “Socrates”, one of the legends of Brazilian football, in recognition of the efforts of the former Brazilian star who died in 2011, and throughout his life he was a symbol of creativity in football and a model for humanitarian actions and the fight against dictatorial regimes in His country is Brazil.

A spherical biography and remarkable humanitarian efforts

Mane’s crowning of the “Socrates Award”, which was presented by the former Brazilian star Ray, Socrates’ brother, was only in recognition of a human biography, social activities and great efforts to help the disadvantaged in Senegal for the Bayern Munich star, whose life went outside the stadiums at the same pace of humility, excellence and radiation inside the green rectangle until it turned To an icon in humanitarian efforts among football stars.

In addition to his inspiring football career, which made him one of the best players in the history of Senegalese and African football, and one of the stars of the round witch in the world in recent years, Mane dedicated his life to helping children and youth, and his efforts were not limited to Bambali, his hometown, but included all regions of Senegal, as he sought to support Equality in the practice of football between boys and girls in his country.

My humble man is a friend of the needy

Sadio was born on the tenth of April 1992, in the village of Bambali, southeast of the capital, Dakar, and this played a major role in raising him on the values ​​of humility and conviction and raising him on the principles of the true Islamic religion. Clean life.

And when Mane became a star in the Liverpool club, which carried his colors between 2016 and 2022, his first job was to provide financial assistance of 243,000 euros to restore and maintain the only school in the village where he received his primary education.

It was Mane's first humanitarian work, who grew up on a special philosophy that he summed up in a previous statement in which he said, "Why would I buy 10 Ferraris or 20 diamond watches, or have two planes? What would that do to the world? I'd better build a hospital in Bambali village than I would." I own 10 Ferraris."

Mani contributed to the construction of a hospital in Sedio, financed the repair and rehabilitation of schools, and gave the outstanding students in his village financial prizes, as well as giving them computers.

"I'm just a human being. I'm not perfect, but it's important to be a good example to the youth in my country," Mane says. "I lived through poverty and hunger, I lost my father, who was suffering from a disease and severe stomach pain, and he didn't receive enough medical care for the simple reason that at that time I didn't There was no hospital in our city, I don't want to make other promises, only God knows the future, but education and good health should be among the priorities of our generation."

Hold on to a childhood dream

At the beginning of his football career, Mane faced the rejection of his family, especially his father, who strongly opposed his son’s practice of football, and Mane said about that stage of his childhood, “I ran away from Bambali to Dakar without anyone knowing, and a week later when family members learned that I was in the capital they brought me back to the village".

But the child's ambition was stronger, as he then headed, at the age of 16, towards the city of Mbour (south), and there he drew the attention of talent scout Bermalin Diata, and in 2009, at the age of 17, he joined the Senegalese "Generation Foot" club.

But his position in the Generation Club did not last long, as Olivier Perrin, a talent scout in the French club Metz, saw him, and decided to include him in the club in the summer of 2011, to appear on January 12, 2012 for the first time in a Metz shirt, in a match against Bastia in the second division.

This transition was the first turning point in the story of the remarkable rise of Mane, who quickly folded the stages of success and creativity, benefiting from a remarkable talent, a quiet life, and two charming feet.

Mane played with Austrian Salzburg between 2012 and 2014 more than 87 matches and scored 45 goals (Getty Images)

The Senegalese star played for Austrian clubs Salzburg from 2012 until 2014, then with Southampton, who left in 2016 heading to Liverpool to reach with the Reds the peak of his success and the pinnacle of his giving, where he was crowned with many titles, most notably the 2019 European Champions League, European Super and Club World Cup, as he scored in 2020. The English Premier League, which was absent from the club's coffers for a long time, and with Egyptian star Mohamed Salah, formed a prominent duo in coach Jurgen Klopp's squad.

In the summer of 2022, Mane joined Bayern Munich, with whom he has played 19 matches so far and scored 9 goals.

As for his career with the "Teranga Lions", he began on May 25, 2012 in a friendly match against Morocco, and since that time he has played 92 international matches, during which he scored 33 goals.

Mane contributed to Senegal's victory in the 2022 African Nations Cup, and reached the final with him in the 2019 edition, and also won the award for the best player in Africa in 2019 and 2022, as well as the award for the best player in the 2022 African Nations edition.

The Senegalese star is looking forward to leading the "Teranga Lions" towards a new achievement in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and Senegal will participate in the tournament in Group A along with Qatar, Ecuador and the Netherlands.