Sadio Mane is best remembered for his form with Liverpool, but the Senegal captain has also found himself in the headlines since his exit from Anfield
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Sadio Mané of Al Nassr with his winners medal after winning the Arab Club Champions Cup Final between Al Hilal and Al Nassr at King Fahd International Stadium on August 12, 2023
Sadio Mane is currently playing in Saudi Arabia (Image: Photo by Abdul Ghani Bashir Issa/MB Media/Getty Images)
Sadio Mane has the distinction of being one of only eight footballers listed among the world's 50 highest-paid athletes. The 33-year-old was number 48 on Forbes' World's Highest-Paid Athletes 2025 list.
His position in the exclusive list is largely due to the influx of European talent into Saudi Arabia, where clubs are offering astronomical contracts, with Mane being a beneficiary. In addition to his lucrative deal, the Liverpool legend made headlines last year when he married his wife Aisha Mane, who was just 18 at the time.
Even before signing a colossal deal with Al-Nassr - where he shares a dressing room with Cristiano Ronaldo - the Senegal skipper made it clear that he had no intention of splashing his wealth on material possessions, choosing instead to invest in his hometown. After Mane's inclusion in the rich-list, Mirror Football takes a look at other aspects of his career and time in Saudi Arabia.
Astounding Saudi earnings
Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr celebrates with teammate Sadio Mane after scoring the team's second goal during the Arab Club Champions Cup Final between Al Hilal and Al Nassr at King Fahd International Stadium on August 12, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo are colleagues in Saudi Arabia
The winger's move to the Middle East in 2023 came after just one season at Bayern Munich, where he struggled to show the same qualities he had at Liverpool. When he moved to Al-Nassr, he secured an eye-watering contract that sees him pocket about £644,987 per week, pushing his annual salary over the £33million mark.
If those figures weren't high enough, according to Mane's earnings on the Forbes list, he raked in a total of £40.6m over the past 12 months. That figure includes his £37.6m ($50m) earnings and a cool £3m ($4m) from off-field dealings, such as endorsements with big names like Adidas, Pepsi, and Vodafone.
Sadio Mane's 19-year-old bride
Sadio Mane's marriage to Aisha Tamba shocked the football world
Sadio Mane's marriage to Aisha Tamba shocked the football world(Image: magvision_evens_officiel/Instagram)
Mane's marriage to Aisha Tamba in an Islamic arranged ceremony in January 2024 shocked the football world, given he is 14 years older. At the time of the wedding, Mane was 31, while she was just 18.
The couple celebrated the birth of their daughter named Animata earlier this year. Aisha, who comes from a private family helmed by her father Madou Tamba, a prominent builder known for overseeing multiple projects in Mane's hometown Bambali, expresses no interest in the wealth her husband's staggering football salary brings.
Speaking to the Mail via a relative, she said: "I am looking forward to my new life and I know that it will be very different. But I do not feel any pressure because Sadio's fame and money will not change me. This is not what I'm interested in. I will remain a humble person committed to my faith.
"I'm not used to having so much attention on me because we are a very private family. We don't like to show off and speak about our personal lives. I am a very down to earth person, this is how I was raised, and nothing will be different just because of this marriage. But I'm very honoured to now be Mrs Mane."
Shunning luxury lifestyle
Senagal attacker Sadio Mane
Mane has donated huge amounts of money for critical infrastructure in Senegal, his home country
Before his lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, Mane was already a multi-millionaire. His lifestyle as a footballer was a far cry from his humble beginnings in Senegal. Unlike many who find themselves in such a financially secure position, the African football star has previously confessed that he sees no value in splurging on luxury items like fancy cars and expensive jewellery.
In a previous interview, he said to AS: "Why would I want ten Ferraris, 20 diamond watches, or two planes? What will these objects do for me and for the world? I was hungry, and I had to work in the field; I survived hard times, played football barefooted, I did not have an education and many other things, but today with what I earn thanks to football, I can help my people."
Mane has chosen to use his wealth to better the lives of those in his hometown of Bambali. He added: "I built schools, a stadium, we provide clothes, shoes, food for people who are in extreme poverty. In addition, I give 70 euros per month to all people in a very poor region of Senegal which contributes to their family economy. I do not need to display luxury cars, luxury homes, trips and even planes. I prefer that my people receive a little of what life has given me."
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