Why is Leroy Sané not playing for Senegal?

Many Senegalese would have loved to see Manchester City winger Leroy Sané play with the Teranga Lions but that will no longer happen as the 22-year-old is now a full Germany international.

His father, Souleymane Sané, played for Senegal national team as a striker for seven years between 1990 and 1997, but was unable to convince his promising footballer son to opt for the team, according to officials from Senegal Football Federation.

Some even described him as an unpatriotic fellow with little or no interest of the Teranga Lions at heart, a team he later captained.

However, the 57-year-old man has his own side of the story, putting much of the blame on Senegal FA, whom he insists showed no interest in his son.

“Senegal FA officials knew very well that my kids were playing football. My son and I were never contacted by the FA or the team’s coach. Unlike Germany and France, Senegal never showed any interest in my son,” Sané said during a visit to Dakar on Thursday.

“If they had contacted me, I would have arranged for a meeting and try to convince my son to switch allegiance and play for the team.

Sané, son of Senegalese diplomats who were serving in France during the early stages of his career, was in a similar situation as his son Leroy, when France had wanted to invite him to camp.

“But the president of Senegal FA at that time, late Oumar Seck, and the coach Claude Leroy, came to visit me in Germany for talks. Upon the request of my father, I accepted to join Senegal.

“I was on the verge of joining France because Michel Platini had contacted me a week earlier and wanted me to get set. The advantage France FA had at that time no African FA had it but I opted to play for Senegal,” he said.

Sané is married to former German rhythmic gymnast Regina Weber and they have three sons, Leroy being one of them.