Sadio Mané retirement claims dismissed after fake statement circulates online

Reports claiming that Senegal captain Sadio Mané has retired from international football have been dismissed, with French sports newspaper L’Équipe confirming that the veteran forward has not ended his career with the national team.

The claims emerged after a fake statement circulated on social media, announcing Mané’s supposed retirement and presenting what appeared to be an emotional farewell message from the former Liverpool star.

According to L’Équipe, the statement was believed to have originated from an artificial intelligence-generated letter that was mistakenly republished by several media outlets.

Among the outlets that reported the false claims was beIN Sports, which published a story suggesting that Mané had announced his decision through an emotional letter allegedly carried by Senegalese newspaper Le Quotidien.

The fake 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.”

However, the claims have since been debunked, with L’Équipe citing information from Sport News Africa journalist Malang Sané, who said sources close to the player had rejected the reports.

“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 part of Senegal’s squad selected by head coach Pape Thiaw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the Teranga Lions’ campaign ended in the Round of 32.

Senegal’s tournament was surrounded by several reports of controversy, including claims of internal challenges within the team. Speculation suggested the squad travelled to the United States without their chef, while further reports alleged that Thiaw and some members of his technical staff were working without formal contracts or salaries.

Despite the off-field discussions, Mané remains available for international selection and has not announced any decision to step away from representing Senegal.