MOSCOW, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Senegal coach Aliou Cisse has piled the praise on striker Saido Mane ahead his side's World Cup debut against Poland in Moscow on Tuesday night.
Speaking in his pre-game press conference, Cisse was asked about the player who plays for Liverpool in the Premier League and who scored their goal in the final of this season's Champions League as Liverpool lost 3-1 to Real Madrid.
Mane netted 10 goals in the Premier League and 10 in Europe for Liverpool last season, while he has 11 goals in 32 appearances for his country.
"Sadio Mane is a unique player and he cannot be compared to any other Senegal player, even the best ones we've had in the past," said Cisse, who said that despite the world-wide fame his move from Southampton to Liverpool has brought, the 26-year-old is the same as a person.
"He plays for one of the most famous clubs in Europe and he has been excellent for them... However, despite everything that has happened for him over the last two years, he hasn't changed; he's just as humble as he was when I first met him at the 2012 Olympics," continue the Senegal coach.
Cisse has brought 8 forwards to the World Cup finals as Senegal look to repeat their heroics of 2002, when they beat reigning World Champions, France and reached the quarter-finals in Japan and South Korea, but insisted Sane was "absolutely unique because he is so unpredictable and that's what makes him great, he can make the difference with a pass or shot."
However, despite praising Sane, Cisse insisted he was coaching more than a one-man team.
"Senegal isn't just Sadio Mane, he has a good team built around him and I think it should be a positive that we are all supporting him," he concluded.
