“I had no credit to call my mum, l had gone to Europe. She had to watch me on TV before she believed” – Sadio Mane

Sadio Mane’s mother had to watch him on TV to see her son play to believe he was in Europe because he left Senegal without telling his mother.

“I remember the first very day I arrived in France to take tests and sign with Metz. I was supposed to train from the day I arrived but the coach told me to stay at home.

I had no credit on my phone card to call my mother and tell her that I had gone to France. The next day, I went with some of my friends who were already in Metz and I called her and told her I was in France.

She said to me she couldn’t believe it. I said; ‘France in Europe’. She replied: ‘what do you mean by Europe? You live in Senegal, you are supposed to be with your uncle’. I then said yes but now I am in Europe.

She was amazed, it was crazy! She was so surprised that she used to call me every day to ask me if it was true. She didn’t believe me until one day I told her to go and watch TV to see me play. She finally understood that my dream had come true.”

Credit: Citizen football