Sadio Mane and his new teenage wife will not be going on honeymoon because the 18-year-old has been made to return to school to prepare for exams after their arranged marriage

Sadio Mane and his teenage wife will not honeymoon as she is forced to return to school to prepare for her final exams, MailOnline can reveal, after images posted online showed her being greeted by classmates.

The former Liverpool star married Aisha Tamba in an Islamic ceremony on January 7 in Keur Massar, a suburb of the capital Dakar, just six days before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations on January 13.

Mane, 31, is currently in the Senegalese squad for the tournament in Ivory Coast but was hoping to honeymoon once it is over, with the final on February 11.

But Aisha, 18, has been told by her family to focus on her studies ahead of her final baccalaureate exams this summer, an academic qualification students earn at the end of their high school education.

Moussa Ndiaye, Mane’s best friend and confidante who played an integral role in arranging his wedding, told MailOnline: ‘Sadio was hoping to have a honeymoon at some point, either after the final, if Senegal gets there, or before, if they be turned off.

‘But Aisha’s family wants her to continue focusing on her education. She has very important exams coming up and they don’t want this to get in the way of the wedding. They think there will be plenty of opportunities for vacations later in her life. For now, her schoolwork has to come first.”

He added: “Even though she is now married to Sadio, the most famous man in Senegal, she is still a schoolgirl and needs to finish her studies.”

Aisha goes to the Cabis girls’ school in Mbao, a town on the outskirts of Dakar. She returned to the classroom earlier this week to be greeted by hundreds of fellow students who applauded wildly and shouted her and Mane’s names.

Videos on social media showed the rapturous welcome she received, with students chanting “Sadio Amendmenta Jabar – Aissaa Amena Jekeur,” which reportedly translates as “Madame Sadio Mane.”

Mr Ndiaye revealed further details on how Mane’s marriage came about. As his best friend, he guided him for years as he played for clubs such as Liverpool, Southampton and Bayern Munich, becoming one of the leading names in world football.

Ndiaye, 28, revealed Mane was in Liverpool when he first saw Aisha during a short visit to Senegal in early 2020.

The footballer signed for Liverpool in 2016 for £34 million, making him the most expensive African player in history at the time. He currently plays for Saudi Pro League Club Al Nassar

He said: ‘I was staying with him at his country house in Liverpool and Sadio said to me that he had seen a girl he really liked and that his family had come to visit while he was in Senegal. He never spoke to her directly on that occasion, but said she was the kind of beautiful girl he wanted to marry and that he was ready to settle down.

‘He asked me to return to Senegal to talk to her and her family and give my opinion, which I did. I knew immediately that she was the right woman for him.’

Mr Ndiaye revealed that Mane returned to Senegal at the end of the 2020 Premier League season and formally informed his family of his wish to marry her, which was then communicated to her parents through his uncle.

The couple met and spoke for the first time that summer, with Aisha and her family agreeing to the marriage proposal but insisting they wait so she could “get to know” her future husband and because of her age.

Mr Ndiaye said: ‘Sadio then returned to Liverpool but he and Aisha continued to talk regularly on the phone. That’s how they met and became close, they never dated.’

He added: ‘Aisha’s father already knew Sadio’s family well because he had done a lot of work for them as a construction contractor. There was already a close bond and trust between them.

‘Sadio is a very devout Muslim, he didn’t want a woman like many high-profile footballers. He is a pious man and wanted a pious wife. Even when he played for Liverpool, he never behaved like the other players by going to nightclubs, drinking alcohol and chasing women.”

The date for the wedding was set last October, with Mane insisting he wanted to tie the knot ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations. Senegal is the current champion.

After the wedding, there has been widespread speculation about Aisha’s real age. Her father has said she is 18, while people close to Mane have been claiming in recent days that she is 19.

Mr Ndiaye: ‘Her age is not important. In Senegal it is quite common for older men who are very successful to marry much younger women. That’s how it works in our culture. Whether Aisha was 15 or 16 when she first met Sadio, it doesn’t matter.

‘Traditionally in Senegal, if you see someone you want to get married, then you talk to family and friends and the marriage is arranged through them.’

Mr Ndiaye revealed that prior to his wedding, Mane held a huge party at his house for friends and family and also gave a dowry of $1,000.

But most of it was returned by Amadou Tamba, Aisha’s father.

After the wedding, he insisted that their union was not about Mane’s “fame and fortune” and that his daughter had no interest in such things.

He added, “Let her continue to be the good person that she is because no matter what wealth an individual gets in life, he will remain a human being like the others. Let them be humble. That is my philosophy of life.’

It is not known whether Aisha will join Mane in Saudi Arabia once he returns to his club and she is currently staying at the family home.