Senegalese football super star Sadio Mane says the failure of Nigeria to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is a big blow to the African continent.
Nigeria lost out on qualifying for the World Cup after losing on away goal rule to Ghana. It is the second time since 1994 that Nigeria won’t be at the World Cup after failing to qualify for the 2006 edition in Germany.
Mane and his Senegalese teammates edged out Egypt to pick one of the five available slots for Africa at the World Cup holding in November. He feels Africa will be without some of their traditional power house and star players.
” You get people asking why is Salah not going to be at the World Cup. Egypt has a very strong team, we were lucky to deny them qualification. What about Cote d’Ivoire? Nigeria with their arrays of star players and entertaining brand of football won’t be at the World Cup. That’s a blow to the continent”,he told FIFA Productions in a broadcast monitored by OwnGoalNigeria.com.
He said competition for spots in African football is now more fierce than ever, a sign of how well football is developing in the region which he said has all made the players to be high in demand.
” We have an ever improving continent when it comes to football. It’s why you see players from Africa in top teams. It’s tough to win games these days. You have to be at your best all the time”.
