Reports of Senegal captain Sadio Mané’s retirement from international football have been dismissed. French newspaper L’Équipe confirms that he remains available for national team selection.
Speculation arose after a fake retirement statement, presented as an emotional farewell from the former Liverpool star, circulated widely on social media.
L’Équipe reports that the statement likely originated from an artificial intelligence-generated letter, which several media outlets mistakenly republished.
beIN Sports was among the outlets reporting the claims, publishing a story that Mané had announced his retirement in a letter allegedly published by the Senegalese newspaper Le Quotidien.
The fabricated statement quoted Mané as saying:
“Know that I sacrificed everything for this flag. I gave everything and always fought fiercely for our country. Your unwavering support has been the driving force behind my success.”
L’Équipe has since debunked the report, citing Sport News Africa journalist Malang Sané, who stated that sources close to Mané confirmed the statement was false.
“According to those sources, the fake statement attributed to Mané and republished by Le Quotidien appears to have been generated using artificial intelligence,” L’Équipe reported.
Mané was included in Senegal’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup under head coach Pape Thiaw. The Teranga Lions exited the tournament in the Round of 32.
Senegal’s World Cup campaign was overshadowed by reports of off-field challenges, including claims that the team traveled to the United States without a team chef and allegations that Thiaw and his coaching staff worked without formal contracts or salaries.
Despite speculation, Mané has not announced his retirement and remains available for selection by the Senegal national team.
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