Senegal coach Aloui Cisse is unhappy with his player Sadio Mane’s final position on the 2019 Ballon d’Or ranking, which saw Lionel Messi clinching his sixth trophy in Paris, France on Monday.
The Liverpool forward finished fourth behind club mate Virgil van Dijk (second) and Cristiano Ronaldo (third). Cissé did not contest the first place which he believes went to the right person (Messi), but he claims his countryman should have been handed a better recognition for a ‘brilliant season’.
“To me, Mane should have come second after Messi. Mane has been consistent and his impact in Liverpool’s progress to the UEFA Champions League final was huge. He had a brilliant season. Everybody is disappointed in Senegal,” Cissé told www.ACLsports.com
Hopes were high in the West African country on Monday, as many traders shut down their shops to go and watch the ceremony which was aired live on state TV for the first time.
“Everybody was glued to their TV sets. I would even say many were expecting Mane to emerge as the winner. I, personally, knew it would be difficult for him to win the ultimate due to the presence of Messi, but I was expecting a second place.
“Although we are disappointed I can say it’s a morale booster for Mane. It means his awesome work during the previous season did not go unnoticed. If he works very hard this season he could become the next African Ballon d’Or winner after George Weah.”
