Liverpool and Senegal forward, Sadio Mane, has revealed how his parents initially didn’t believe he’d ever make it as a footballer
The forward who has scored 4 goals in 4 matches in the Premier League so far this season is part of one of Europes deadliest strike forces and has an enviable salary to boot.
He spoke to Bleacher report, where he said: “I was born in a village where there had never been a footballer who’d made it in the major championships,”
“I remember that when I was little, my parents felt that I should study to become a teacher. They thought football was a waste of time and I’d never succeed at it.
“I always said: ‘This is the only job that will enable me to help you. And I think I have a chance to become a footballer.’
“They weren’t sure about it because I was a long way from the capital and almost nobody from there had succeeded. So they were against the idea, and they never believed it, right up until the day when I signed my first professional contract.”
He ended up signing a contract with French side Metz and then signing for Salzburg, Southampton and finally, Liverpool.
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Now Mane says that his parents are quite okay with his decision.
“For them, it wasn’t possible. They weren’t exactly wrong because it really wasn’t straightforward, but I wanted to realise my dream of becoming a footballer,” Mane said.
“I gave it everything. It got to the point where they didn’t really have a choice, so they started helping me, and it worked. Today, they’re all proud.”
Liverpool’s next game is against a Tottenham Hotspur side still smarting from a defeat to Watford and the Senegalese will be looking to make a scoring impact in that game and hopefully keep Liverpool’s 100% record in the Premier League intact.