World Cup 2026: Pape Thiaw backs Sadio Mané
The Senegal national team faces Belgium this Wednesday at 20:00 GMT in the Round of 16 of the World Cup. And although Sadio Mané has yet to find the back of the net, his coach continues to have faith in him. Pape Thiaw hopes that Mané’s breakthrough will come against Belgium.
So far, the Teranga Lions’ captain hasn’t scored in this World Cup edition, but he did provide an assist against Norway (a 2-3 defeat), and his impact on Senegal’s performance remains significant.
During Tuesday’s press conference, Pape Thiaw was asked about the status of Senegal’s record goal scorer. The coach responded with a smile: "I hope our little brother Sadio also gets his goal. He is like a younger brother to us. And of course, big Sadio scoring would be great for us." declared Pape Thiaw.
Will this Round of 16 clash against Belgium be the moment Sadio Mané has been waiting for to score his first goal of this World Cup?