Senegal's captain and star player, Sadio Mane, is gearing up for what he believes will be the toughest TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d'Ivoire 2023, emphasizing the competitive challenge posed by the presence of all the big African nations.
Speaking to CAFOnline, Mane shared his thoughts on Senegal's challenging Group C, which includes Cameroon, Guinea, and The Gambia. He acknowledged the difficulty but expressed the team's determination to give their best in each round.
“We know it won't be easy, but we will be there to do our best and try to go through every round. This competition will be one of the strongest since I started playing in it because all the big countries are here, and they all have their targets, but we will see what will happen,” said Mane.
When asked about the personal significance of lifting the title in succession, Mane expressed that winning the AFCON trophy was the best achievement in his career.
The 31-year-old star considers winning the tournament again as a special and significant accomplishment for both himself and the nation.
“Firstly, winning the AFCON was the best trophy I have ever won in my life, and 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 for our football because we have won all the other categories, which is great for the country,” concluded Mane.
Senegal will commence their title defense against The Gambia on Monday, 15 January, followed by a clash with Cameroon three days later.
The group stage concludes with a match against Guinea on Wednesday, 23 January. All matches will be held at the Stade Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro.