Longtime girlfriend? Reactions as 31-year-old Sadio Mane marries Aisha Tamba, 18

Senegal’s football captain and renowned striker, Sadio Mane, recently tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend, Aisha Tamba, in a private ceremony held in Dakar on Sunday, January 7 as reported by BusinessDay.

The timing of the wedding, just six days before the commencement of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast, has stirred a range of reactions on Reddit.

Mane, who also unveiled a stadium in his hometown of Bambali before joining the national team, has faced both support and criticism for his choice, particularly regarding the age difference between the couple.

Reddit Reactions

@Artuhanzo comments reflect their surprise and concern “Wait a moment, she’s 18? How can an 18 year old be your longtime girlfriend when you’re 31 years old? Damn”

This comment by some social media users regarding the age disparity between Mane and his now-wife. The notion of a long-term relationship starting when Aisha was 16 has sparked discussions about the appropriateness of such age differences in romantic relationships.

“Real reason he moved away from England and Germany” another respondent said, speculating about Mane’s motive for changing clubs as suggested in this comment.

While the comment doesn’t provide concrete evidence, it touches on the sensitivity of age-related controversies and their potential impact on a player’s reputation in different football environments.

@xixbia highlights the potential consequences of such a situation “Imagine he pulled that shit off while still under contract with us. Would have been a PR nightmare. Good riddance.”

“He could have gotten away with it if he hadn’t tried it in England” another respondent said

This comment raises questions about the role of cultural norms in shaping public opinion and the potential variance in reactions depending on the geographical location.

@Erty13: “I am from Africa, too, a Sub-Saharan country. It is not similar, but we have a lot in common with a country like Senegal.

Even here, I can tell you that there are many people who would question such a relationship. Many men who would not date or marry someone so young. Many people who would, if not call, it creepy, at least wince and side eye such a relationship.

Culture is not an excuse. We are not all nonces and homophobes, even here. You could perhaps try to excuse him by saying that he comes from a very rural background, where such things are much, much worse than in the big cities( you don’t even know the half of it, it can gets VERY bad).

But then, he spent a lot of time as a teen and as an adult in big cities throughout the world. If he hasn’t learned why tapping up a 16 years old is bad, then he is a nonce. No excuse.”

This comment expresses a strong stance, labeling Mane as a “nonce” a British slang ‘child molester’ if he is perceived as having engaged in inappropriate behavior with someone under the legal age.

@71648176362090001 rejects the idea of attributing Mane’s actions to his Senegalese background and instead frames the issue as a universal concern. “I wouldnt dare to say its a senegalese thing cause sexualizing minors is nothing normal anywhere imo. Its a ‘creepy person thing’ (combined with ‘powerful person’)”