Sadio Mane: What Winning Two Straight AFCON Titles Would Mean to Al Nassr Superstar

• Sadio Mane has explained what winning AFCON for a second time would mean
• Senegal beat Egypt in 2022 to win the continental tournament for the first time
• Mane and his Lions of Teranga teammates kick off the tournament on January 15

Sadio Mane and Senegal won their first Africa Cup of Nations title in 2021/22 and are looking to repeat their success this year.

The Lions of Teranga are one of the favourites to win this year's edition and the Al-Nassr superstar said it would mean the world to him if they lifted the title again on February 11.

Senegal kick off their title defence against The Gambia on January 15 before going head-to-head with African giants, Cameroon, in their second group game. They conclude their group stage with a clash against Guinea.

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Mane scored the decisive penalty in last year's tournament when they beat Egypt on penalties, per the Guardian. He admitted AFCON was the best trophy he had won in his career.

"Coming to do it again will be special and a big achievement. It’s been a dream to play in this competition since I was a kid and we will do our best. Winning the AFCON will [have] a big impact on our football because we have won all the other categories, which is great for the country" the superstar winger said via CAF.

However, Senegal will need to beat other favourites like Nigeria, Morocco, Algeria, Ghana, and Egypt to claim a back-to-back AFCON trophy.

Al-Nassr fans chant Mane’s name

Sports Brief also previously reported on Al-Nassr fans chanting Mane's name and parading an incredible tifo of him in their crucial win over Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League.

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The former Liverpool forward was not on the scoresheet for the Knights of Najd but had a good performance against Steven Gerrard's men, with fans showing him their love.

AFCON teams name final squads

Sports Brief also previously reported that nations participating in AFCON, like Senegal, have named their final squads for the tournament.

Coaches have submitted their final squads for the showpiece and have chosen those who will represent their respective countries.

South Africa will be without key striker, Lyle Foster, due to his recent mental health struggles, while Ivory Coast will be without Wilfred Zaha.