Sadio Mane thanks fans after Ballon d’Or nomination and backs Roshn Saudi League rivals

Sadio Mane says he is “incredible” to have been nominated for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, but believes several other players – particularly those from the Roshn Saudi League – also deserved a place on the shortlist.

France Football announced its 30-man list on Tuesday, 8 September. Mane was included after helping Al-Nassr win the league title, while Al-Qadsiah forward Julian Quinones was also nominated after finishing as the competition’s leading scorer last season.

Speaking to Thmanyah after learning of his nomination, Mane said: “The feeling is unbelievable! I would like to say thank you to the fans, and of course to the journalists.”

The Senegal international also acknowledged that the final list could have featured more players from the Saudi league.

“I know there are many players who could have been on the list, definitely, especially from the Roshn Saudi League, but these are the votes, so I would like to say thank you once again,” he said.

Mane added that the recognition would not lessen his determination to improve.

“I will try to continue moving forward and, of course, to become better and better,” he said.

His comments came after his first match since the Ballon d’Or nominees were announced. Mane helped Al-Nassr recover from their previous defeat by scoring in a 2-1 victory over Abha.

The result was particularly important for Al-Nassr because they had lost 2-1 to Al-Ittihad in the previous round, their first defeat of the season.

Mane described the win against Abha as the response his side needed, although he admitted there were areas to improve after the break.

“The most important thing was to get the three points,” he said, while pointing to periods in the second half when Al-Nassr gave the ball away and misplaced passes.

He said tiredness, high temperatures and the closeness of the fixtures had affected the players’ concentration at times during the match.

However, Mane believes Al-Nassr have the quality to produce better performances and said the team would continue working to eliminate those mistakes in upcoming games.

The nomination makes Mane one of two players from the Roshn Saudi League among the 30 candidates for the award. His inclusion follows a season in which he contributed to Al-Nassr’s league triumph, while Quinones was recognised for his goalscoring record with Al-Qadsiah.