Mane flattered by Messi nod
Sadio Mane’s emergence as one of the world’s most deadly forwards has been steep, if not particularly surprising.
The Senegalese international’s talent has long been obvious, but often overshadowed at Anfield by that of Mohamed Salah .
Yet his form last season helped propel Liverpool to Champions League glory, and prompted Barcelona’s Lionel Messi to vote for Mane as World Player of the Year.
Mane didn’t even rank among the top three, as Reds teammate Virgil van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo joined Messi in the final nominees for FIFA’s Best award.
But despite missing out on the prize to eventual winner Messi, it was a royal seal of approval for the Reds striker.
“It’s a great compliment when Messi votes for you,” Mane said. “If you look at where I’ve come from, it shows I’ve come quite far.
“Without being for a long time at an academy, I got here. “All I can say [to kids] is to keep working hard and go for your dream.”
