French sports publication L’Équipe has disclosed that Sadio Mané has not stepped away from international football.
The French outlet indicated that a false statement spreading on social media announced the Senegalese star’s retirement, implying that the rumor stemmed from an AI-generated letter that was inadvertently republished by several news agencies.
Among those was beIN Sports, which released a report referencing the fabricated rumors, asserting that Mané had declared his retirement from international play.
beIN stated that the 34-year-old expressed his decision in an “emotional letter” featured in the Senegalese newspaper Le Quotidien.
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“Understand that I sacrificed everything for this flag. I committed fully and consistently fought hard for our nation. Your steadfast support has fueled my achievements,” the fabricated letter claimed.
L’Équipe cited the specialized platform Sport News Africa, with journalist Malang Sané quoting sources close to the player, who dismissed the rumors.
“According to these sources, the false statement attributed to Mané and republished by Le Quotidien seems to have been created using artificial intelligence,” L’Équipe noted.
Mané was included in the Senegal squad called up by Pape Thiaw for the World Cup.
Senegal’s campaign, which concluded in the Round of 32, was overshadowed by various rumors and controversies, including alleged internal conflicts within the team.
Speculation suggested that the Senegal squad traveled to the US without their chef and that Thiaw was operating without a contract or compensation, along with several members of his coaching staff.
