Sadio Mane has joined Al Nassr’s training camp in Portugal, only days after bringing his international career with Senegal to an end.
The forward has reported for duty with the Saudi Arabian club as preparations continue for the 2026-27 season, with Al Nassr set to begin their Roshn Saudi League campaign against Al Fateh in mid-August.
Mane’s arrival marks the start of a new phase for the 34-year-old, who confirmed after Senegal’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup that he would no longer represent his country. His decision came less than a week before he travelled to Portugal to link up with his club team.
Senegal were knocked out by Belgium in the last 32 of the tournament. After that defeat, Mane said he did not intend to step away from football and made clear that his attention would now be devoted fully to his career with Al Nassr.
The club welcomed the attacker through its official account on X, publishing photographs of his arrival in Portugal. The post carried a greeting using the name “Abu Amna”, the nickname associated with Mane and one that has become particularly familiar to Al Nassr supporters.
Mane’s return allows him to concentrate on the immediate demands of pre-season as the club builds towards the opening competitive fixture of the new campaign. Al Nassr’s camp is continuing to receive the team’s overseas players, with the squad assembling in stages ahead of a series of friendly matches.
Those fixtures will serve as the final preparation before the Saudi league season begins. Al Nassr are scheduled to open their Roshn Saudi League campaign against Al Fateh in the middle of August.
The Portugal camp therefore represents a clear change in focus for Mane. The Senegal forward has closed the international chapter of his career after the country’s World Cup exit, but remains committed to continuing at club level with “The Global”, the title widely used for Al Nassr.
His decision to retire from international football was announced immediately after Senegal’s defeat by Belgium at the 2026 World Cup. He subsequently stressed that his choice was not a decision to leave the game, but instead reflected his intention to give his full effort to his work with Al Nassr.
With the club’s foreign players now joining the squad and pre-season games approaching, Mane has become the latest senior figure to return to the team’s preparations. The next stage will focus on shaping the squad for the first league match of the 2026-27 season, when Al Nassr face Al Fateh in August.
