Former Ajax and the Netherlands star Danny Blind has paid the ultimate compliment to Sadio Mane, as he compares the Senegalese to none other than Cristiano Ronaldo himself and puts him on the same level as the Juventus star, as well as Lionel Messi.
“Sadio Mane is the new Ronaldo in world football,” Blind told Mirror. “As an attacking player he is absolutely fantastic. I can go through all his qualities – and he is superb in every aspect.
“He can score with his left foot, right foot and with sensational headers. He can give brilliant assists, he is an incredible athlete, and I could go on even more!
“Mane is the super modern player. If you look at his skills, that is one great thing, but he is able to combine that with astonishing sprints right throughout the game. That requires so much power. You have to be incredibly strong both physically and mentally. Sadio has it all.
“I don’t compare Mane to Messi. I think Sadio is much more like Cristiano Ronaldo in his very best years. Ronaldo was so physically and mentally strong.
“Sadio is like a massive rock of granite and yet so dynamic at the same time – just like Ronaldo was for so many years.
Certainly, Mane should
“I don’t compare Mane to Messi. I think Sadio is much more like Cristiano Ronaldo in his very best years. Ronaldo was so physically and mentally strong.
“Sadio is like a massive rock of granite and yet so dynamic at the same time – just like Ronaldo was for so many years.
“It is right that people are finally taking notice of Mane as an incredibly special player. He has been producing these top performances – like he did this week against Everton in the derby – for more than three years.
“Sadio deserves to be recognised alongside the best attacker in the world, Messi. Football fans in Europe should take notice of what Sadio is doing in English football, where matches are at a very high level and tempo.
“Now Mane must win as many trophies as he can, starting with the Premier League title.”
Sadio Mane ended up in the fourth place in the Ballon d’Or voting, with only Ronaldo, Messi and Virgil van Dijk ahead of him.
However, journalists around the world still don’t seem to rate Sadio on the same level: almost 130 points separate him from Ronaldo in final rankings, despite the fact that Mane was simply a better player throughout the whole year.
Source: Mirror