My first hero to wear the number 10 shirt was Ronaldinho.
— Sadio Mane
The first time I watched a World Cup game was in 2002. That was the first time Senegal had ever qualified for the World Cup, and it was great moment that I will never forget in my life. I was ten years old at the time, and that experience of watching my country in a World Cup is what inspired me to become a footballer.
Liverpool are a massive club with a big history that has won many trophies over the years, and as soon as I was told of the possibility to come here, and I knew the manager wanted me, I said yes.
Even when I was injured, I was always working hard.
The power of Liverpool Football Club is the collective. We always do everything together; this is our power.
I have a chef who cooks for me. I like to eat healthy.
When I was three or four, only football was in my head. I went 10 years, and nothing changed - only football, football, football. The strange thing is, nobody played football in my family before.
We are Liverpool, we are strong, and we can beat any team in the world.
This is something you have to accept in football. Someone will say you are overpriced, but I did not think about it. Maybe I was overpriced, but I believe in my quality and want to get better. If you know what you can do for your team, it becomes no problem, and you don't even think about it.
I never doubted how I could help the team, and I never stopped working hard every day in training.
Jurgen Klopp is like my father.
I won't touch alcohol.
I was a very good dribbler as a young player, but now that I've got more experience, there are some useless things that I don't do anymore.
When you see the rival make a certain pass, you don't need to look behind you. You know 100 per cent that all your teammates will go with you.
I think everything is possible.
Honestly, I don't know the word 'pressure,' because football is my job. I always enjoy it.
I really don't like not being able to help my teammates.
Ever since I started playing football, I've always taken the number 10 shirt.
I think it's a personal pride to hear everyone talking about me.
There was interest from a lot of clubs, not just Manchester United, but as soon as I knew Liverpool were interested, I just felt it was the right club with the right coach. It was right for me to come here.
I just try to work harder and harder every day to improve and get better and better.
I am a lucky boy.
I work in the gym; twice a week, I do abdominals. It is very, very important. I do quick sessions, as I don't want to get big.
I knew I was going to be a football player; I just didn't know how. It was the only thing I was doing, the only thing that I knew. Always training, training, training, training.
If you have Real to face, you have to think about them - they are one of the best teams in the world.
Whenever I play, I know I have the support to help me.
Sometimes it is difficult to play against teams who just drop back and try to defend.
I was brought up correctly and in the right way, and my parents are very proud of the fact that I am a professional footballer.
Religion is very important to me. I respect the rules of Islam, and I pray five times a day, always.
I was born in a village where there had never been a footballer who'd made it in the major championships.
I didn't dream about becoming a professional: I dreamed about becoming the best in the world.
It is very exciting to be playing in the Champions League because it is the dream of every player in the world.
If you want to be successful when you play, you have to be free in your mind, and that happens if you know that everything is taken care of - you just focus on the football.
A good thing for footballers is not to think too much, especially when you've got to move to a big team like Liverpool, because that's when you start to confuse your mind.
I've kept all of my shirts that wore in the World Cup games, and I'll be giving them to my family to keep.
I was a Barcelona fan. My favorite player was Ronaldinho. But I watched a lot of English football and admired lots of English teams.
You have to believe in yourself and believe in what you are doing all the time.
Diouf was one of the best players in the whole history of Senegal. He did a lot for the national team, and everybody knows and respects him for that.
You can't say when you are 25 years old that you know everything. You don't.
When I was in school, we would always have running races. I was good at it. Always sprinting. I can run long distance, too.
It was a tough moment for me when I was in Senegal, especially when I was young. I was born in a village, I grew up there, and they don't like football.
I remember that when I was little, my parents felt that I should study to become a teacher. They thought football was a waste of time and I'd never succeed at it.
Everyone likes Klopp. He is one of the best in the world, and for us to have the chance to have him as a coach makes us all happy.
All I can do is do my best: score goals, give assists, and do my best for my team.
It was a bit difficult in England at first with the weather and the rain, but I love the football culture in this country.
It was a normal childhood, like the childhoods of all children my age: going to school, playing in the street with friends, spending time at home with my family.
It's the rival that gives you the tempo depending on who is on the ball or who a pass is played to. That is the little secret.
I wanted to be Ronaldinho. I studied him a lot. He was my hero.
The wrong team wanted me, by the way - of course United. I spoke with Van Gaal, and they even made an offer, but for me, it was not the right club and not the right moment.
I am different as soon as I am on the pitch, because I had to fight so much and work so hard to become a professional footballer, so I have to give everything that I can.
