Liverpool star Sadio Mane paid a touching tribute to Senegal football legend Papa Bouba Diop who died on Sunday aged just 42.
Diop’s compatriot Mane, who has been capped 72 times for Senegal – scoring 21 goals at international level – revealed an undershirt with the words ‘Papa Bouba Diop’ printed on the front.
The attacker showed his tribute when removing his Liverpool jersey after the full time whistle of the Reds' 1-0 Champions League victory over Ajax at Anfield on Tuesday night, which secured first place in their group with a game to spare.
Mane would presumably have liked to have marked the occasion with a goal so he could display Diop’s name while celebrating but it was youngster Curtis Jones who netted the winner.
Diop passed away in Paris following “a long illness” with L’Equipe reporting that he had motor neurone disease.
A member of the Senegal squad that reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in their first tournament appearance in 2002 – defeating defending champions France in their opening game.
He then went on to have spells in England with Fulham, Portsmouth, West Ham United and Birmingham City.
Mane wrote on his Instagram on Sunday: “Pape Bouba, it was with a broken heart that we learned of your (death). Know that you will forever remain in our hearts even if you left without saying goodbye to us.”
