Star Liverpool forward Sadio Mané is set to be honored in his home region of Senegal after the Reds fan-favorite helped guide his nation to their first-ever African Cup of Nations win at AFCON2021.

Mané was one of the shining lights in a star-studded Les Lions de la Téranga outfit under former national team captain Aliou Cissé and their 4-2 penalty shootout win over Mohamed Salah’s Egypt was the expected overall result after Senegal entered the tournament as the 20th-ranked side overall in the world according to FIFA.

Now, the African icon will be honored in Sedhiou, the region of his birth, when the new stadium under construction will be named after him according to mayor Abdoulaye Diop.

“Sadio Mané has honored all of Senegal, the Sedhiou region, and the entire Casamance area. I have decided to name the stadium after him.”

“In doing so I wish to convey the gratitude of all the sons and daughters of the region towards him. He has made all of mankind aware of Bambali and Sedhiou, the region’s main town. This is a gift that Sadio Mane truly deserves.”

Mané contributed three goals and two assists to Senegal’s successful winter campaign ending the tournament well off the goalscoring space and five goals behind Cameroon’s Vincent Aboubakar but sat level with Kenya’s Gabadinho Mhango, Mali’s Ibrahima Koné, and Morocco’s Sofiane Boufal.

Mané set for Liverpool return amid speculation surrounding his future

Liverpool kept their recent Premier League form on track without Sadio Mané when they dispatched Leicester City 2-0 at Anfield last night on the back of a brace from Diogo Jota.

Sadio Mane honored with stadium to be named after him in wake of Senegal’s AFCON triumph

Aston Villa’s English defender Matty Cash (L) vies with Liverpool’s Senegalese striker Sadio Mane during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Aston Villa at Anfield in Liverpool, northwest England on December 11, 2021. RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

And despite the January purchase of Colombian star Luis Díaz, it should be expected that Mané takes up his position in the vaunted front-three on Merseyside to help the club push for honors this season despite sitting in the wake of Manchester City.

But the underlying current of the deal for Díaz could be a harbinger of things to come for Liverpool after Mané admitted that he would leave Liverpool for greener pastures in Spain if the opportunity arose.

According to ESPN via Goal, the 29-year-old star would move away from Anfield if either Real Madrid or Barcelona came calling for his services in the upcoming summer window. Should Liverpool defeat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final, the Senegalese international will have won every possible trophy on offer to the Reds and could certainly entertain a new challenge as he approaches the plateau of his career.