Sadio Mané responds to criticism after victory against Togo!

Sadio Mané firmly addresses the criticism regarding his modest performances during the Lions of Teranga's matches in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, emphasizing that he is one of the most criticized Senegalese players by the public.

Sadio Mané's statements came after Senegal's victory over Togo (2-0) during Tuesday night's match at the Mbaye Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio, in the capital Dakar, as part of the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

Mané after the victory against Togo: "We need support, not criticism"

The Senegalese international defended his teammates by stating:

"I think not everything was perfect, even if the content of the match against Sudan was better. We're happy with the win. It wasn't our best match, but the main thing was the three points, and we got them."

He also spoke about the history of encounters with Togo:

“In 2005, Togo eliminated us, but in 20 years, Senegal has improved. Every match against them poses problems for us. In the first leg, it was very complicated.”

Regarding his response to the widespread criticism against him, Mané said:

“I have no problem with criticism, everyone has their viewpoint on the players' performance.”

But he added:

"We need to be calmer. We can't beat all teams with wide margins. Football is evolving. Today, we need support rather than criticism. You can criticize me, but please spare the others. I think I'm the most criticized Senegalese player..."

It is noteworthy that the Lions of Teranga, who qualified for the last two World Cups (2018 and 2022), are currently in second place in Group B of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, one point behind the leader, the Democratic Republic of Congo (13 points).

Read also: World Cup 2026 (Q): Pape Thiaw already under fire in Senegal!

Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.