It's been a hectic day over here, but all the same, I'm here to deflate my stress by doing what makes me happy, talking sports. 😋 So this evening, I wanna express my love and admiration to a special African player. Trust me, this guy is my most admired African player in the history of football, not because he is the best the continent has seen, but because of his simplicity. For most players, especially from Africa and South America, it's always a display of wealth, ostentatious acquisitions and other flamboyant showoffs. Just last year, I read in the news where Neymar Jr was said to be touching down on PSG training with an Helicopter. Few years back, I also saw the shoe collections of Emmanuel Adebayo of Togo which was worth thousands of Dollars. Well, it's no bad to flaunt one's wealth, it's their money after all. For some other players, showing off their collection of cars, expensive jewelry and houses makes them feel better about their status.
SO WHY DO I ADMIRE SADIO?
My admiration for Sadio is inspired by his philosophy of life and what he believes humanity is all about. Born in Senegal and brought up in the small village of Bambali where he lived with his uncle. Born to poor parents who had many children they couldn't take care of, young Sadio grew in the streets where his passion for football began. Today, Sadio has risen through the ranks to become one of the best players in not only Africa but now rubbing shoulders with the likes of Messi and Ronaldo for the Ballon d'Or prize. Despite Mane's elevation, he is remained very calm and leads a simple lifestyle. While most of his mates acquire expensive stuff, the Senegalese believes more in rather using his status to help the poor in his Country.
"Why would I want ten Ferraris, 20 diamond watches, or two planes? What will these objects do for me and for the world? I was hungry, and I had to work in the field; I survived hard times, played football barefooted, I did not have an education and many other things, but today with what I earn thanks to football, I can help my people," Mane said in one of his interviews. Please, don't misconstrue me, I'm in no way saying that other players don't do charity works, I am actually more concerned about his simple lifestyle and the reason behind that.
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