Sadio Mane, the Senegalese superstar, will be leading his national side in the AFCON 2024 to defend their title in Côte d’Ivoire. They are drawn in Group C alongside Cameroon, Gambia, and Guinea and are deemed one of the top favorites to lift the championship for the second successive time.
Last summer, the former Liverpool star joined the Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr to team up with Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo, who comes from Bundesliga side Bayern Munich. Before stepping onto the pitch to defend their crown in Africa’s most prestigious tournament, his marriage is dominating the headlines.
Sadio Mane’s father-in-law provides marriage details
Sadio Mane is enjoying an excellent maiden season at Al-Nassr in the Gulf League and aims to extend his form to the AFCON before representing the Lions on the field. The 31-year-old forward tied the knot with Aisha Tamba in his home country, Dakar, Senegal, on January 7, 2024.
After his wedding ceremony, the Al-Nassr star joined the Senegal national team and flew to the Ivory Coast to prepare for their inaugural group fixture. Reportedly, his marriage ceremony was held in Keur Massar. Mane, who is 31 years old, married Ayesha, who is 18 years old.
According to the bride’s father, Amadou Tamba, it’s a traditional arranged marriage, and the pair had never dated each other before their wedding. The ceremony was conducted as an Islamic ritual. He also confirmed that his daughter is 18 years old and has known Sadio Mane for the past two years.
He revealed: “My wife and Aisha visited their (Mane’s) family one day, and this is where he met her for the first time, He probably saw something special in her, and his parents appreciated her as well. They came to see me. We discussed as per the tradition, agreed on everything, and waited for this day to happen.”
Fans left stunned by age revelation of Sadio Mane’s wife
According to reports, the player sent a formal marriage proposal through Mane’s uncle, who is a close friend of Ayesha’s father. He served as the intermediary in the marriage. Moreover, Mr. Tamba, a prosperous construction contractor, has been involved in various projects for Sadio Mane since 2013.
However, when pictures of Sadio Mane’s wedding surfaced, it surprised the soccer fraternity, especially after the revelation of Ayesha Tamba’s age of 18. The claim that they knew each other for two years when she was 16 years old has stunned many fans, although in Senegal, legally, she is 16.