Sadio Mané was just 10 when the famed Senegalese team of 2002 took world football by storm. That combination, led by the great Aliou Cissé and comprising unknown players who would become household names in a matter of weeks, stunned then-defending champions France, at Korea/Japan, en route to a quarterfinal spot.Lucrative contracts followed for many members of that team, including Salif Diao, Pape Bouba Diop and El Hadji Diouf.But none can be said to have come anywhere near Mané in attaining global acclaim. Mané has become the face of Senegal football, achieving what many of his countrymen — despite their 2002 exploits — could only dream of.He led the Lions of Teranga to a first continental title in 2021. The team almost replicated the heroics of the Class of 2002, reaching the World Cup last 16 in Qatar in 2022. The latter was the second World Cup for Mané and his men, as they competed in Russia in 2018, and they now head to North America as one of Africa’s 10 representatives in the expanded tournament.Veteran Mané, part of Senegal’s runners-up in 2019, led the Lions to a second Africa Cup of Nations title in January, but that result has been overturned and awarded to hosts Morocco, which is subject to an appeal by Senegal at the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.Mané demonstrated his immense leadership qualities when he convinced his teammates to return to the field after their vehement protests in the final after Morocco received a late, highly contested penalty.The now 34-year-old Mané can easily be named among the all-time greats of footballers this continent has produced. A two-time African footballer of the year, his cabinet is adorned with accolades many will never get close to. These include the Uefa Champions League won with Liverpool in 2018 and league championships secured with Liverpool and Bayern Munich.It is to Mané’s credit that even when he’s approaching the twilight of his career, having swapped highly competitive European football for the riches of the Gulf, where he plays for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, he’s still Senegal’s most important player as they head into their fourth World Cup.In North America next month, Senegal will again find themselves in a tough group, which, ironically, includes France. Mané will be expected to play a key role in seeing them out of Group I, which also includes Norway and Iraq, further entrenching himself in African football folklore.Age: 34Club: Al NassrPrevious clubs: Metz, RB Salzburg, Southampton, Liverpool, Bayern MunichPrevious World Cups: 2018 (first round), 2022 (last 16)International caps (goals): 124 (52)Club honours (wins only):RB Salzburg: Austrian Bundesliga (1) 2014; Austrian Cup (1) 2014. Liverpool: Uefa Champions League (1) 2019; Uefa Super Cup (1) 2019; English Premiership (1) 2019-20; FA Cup (1) 2020-21; League Cup (1) 2020-21. Bayern Munich: Bundesliga (1) 2022-23; DFL SuperCup (1) 2022-23. Al Nassr: Arab Champions Cup (1) 2023International honours: Africa Cup of Nations winner (2) 2021 and 2025** In dispute with Morocco awarded the title, appeal at Court of Arbitration for Sport ongoing• TimesLIVE, Sowetan, The Herald and Daily Dispatch are running a series profiling the STARS OF THE 2026 WORLD CUP every Friday until the tournament kickoff on June 11. There are GROUP PROFILES every Tuesday.