KEY POINTS

  • FIFA World Cup will begin Sunday in Qatar
  • Senegal's opening game is against the Netherlands
  • Mane has netted 33 goals for Senegal so far

Sadio Mane will miss Senegal's "first games" at the World Cup because of a leg injury, a board member of the country's soccer federation said.

Mane was included in Senegal's squad for the World Cup despite his leg injury, which he picked up in Bayern Munich's thumping 6-1 victory over Bremen last week. The Bundesliga champions later revealed the Senegalese forward had an injury "to his right fibula." The Teranga Lions head coach Aliou Cisse said the 30-year-old Mane did not require surgery.

World Cup 2022 will begin Sunday in Qatar. Senegal's campaign opener is on the following day against the Netherlands. The team will take on hosts Qatar (Nov. 25) and Ecuador (Nov. 29) after that.

"We will have to rely on playing the first games without Sadio and win without Sadio. No one would have wanted it, but that's what's happened to us," Senegal football federation (FSF) board member Abdoulaye Sow told AP.

But Sow did not specify the number of games Mane could miss or if there was any official word from Bayern Munich or Senegal. Most of Senegal's squad arrived in Qatar on Sunday for the marquee event.

"It's obvious that Senegal would like him to play. But if he's in pain, he can't play. Medical things are more important than sporting ones. That's the case with us and also with everyone else," Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann said.

Sadio Mane (R) scored a brilliant double against Bayern Munich in the 2019 Champions League, which Liverpool went on to win
Sadio Mane moved from Liverpool to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022 AFP / Odd ANDERSEN

The former Liverpool forward is easily Senegal's undisputed star and his absence will hurt his country's journey in World Cup. In February, Mane's decisive penalty won Senegal their maiden Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). They defeated Egypt in the final.

Mane yet again became Senegal's hero in a penalty shootout, which was also against Egypt, to qualify for the Qatar World Cup.

Mane has netted 11 goals and provided four assists for Bayern Munich in 23 appearances this season.

In his last four games for Senegal, Mane was on the goals chart on three occasions, including a hat-trick in his country's 3-1 win over Benin. Overall, the Bayern forward has netted 33 goals and 20 assists for Senegal in 92 competitive games.

Soccer