Ballon d'Or: The story of how Sadio Mane rose from poverty to become Africa's best finisher after Weah

The Ballon d'Or official website has shared the story of how Sadio Mané's path to football greatness nearly ended before it began, revealing that his father actively discouraged him from playing the sport as a child.

Mané was born and raised in Bambali, a small village on the banks of the Casamance River, where he grew up in poverty with no hospital, post office, or organised football of any kind nearby.

Sadio Mane Mané's career ultimately took him to some of Europe's biggest clubs, and in 2022 he finished runner-up in the Ballon d'Or rankings behind French forward Karim Benzema — the closest an African player had finished to the top of the award since George Weah won it outright in 1995.