Sadio Mane’s teenage bride Aisha Tamba, 18, speaks for the first time since marrying ex-Liverpool star, 31, as she insists ‘money and fame will not change me’
Sadio Mane’s teenage wife has spoken for the first time about her recent marriage to the footballer, insisting his wealth and fame will not change her “humble ways”.
The former Liverpool star married 18-year-old schoolgirl Aisha Tamba on January 7 in an Islamic ceremony in Keur Massar, a suburb of the capital Dakar.
Mane, 31, is enjoying the life of a multi-millionaire footballer, earning as much as £650,000 a week, flying private jets and living in a lavish ten-room mansion given to him by Saudi Pro League club Al Nassar, for who he plays now.
But that is in stark contrast to the life his new wife is used to. Aisha lives in a poor part of Dakar in a house with about thirty relatives opposite a swamp. It is located along an uneven dirt road where goats run around and is littered with trash.
Speaking through a family member, she told MailOnline: ‘I’m looking forward to my new life and I know it will be very different. But I don’t feel any pressure because Sadio’s fame and money won’t change me. This isn’t what I’m interested in. I will remain a humble person, committed to my faith.
Sadio Mane married 18-year-old schoolgirl Aisha Tamba in an Islamic ceremony on January 7 in Keur Massar, a suburb of the capital Dakar.
Aisha lives in a poor part of Dakar in a house with about thirty relatives opposite a swamp. It is located along an uneven dirt road where goats run around and is littered with trash.
‘I’m not used to so much attention being paid to me, because we are a very private family. We don’t like to show off and talk about our personal lives. I am a very down-to-earth person, that’s how I was raised and nothing will be different because of this marriage.’
She added, “But I’m very honored to be Mrs. Mane now.”
Aisha is expected to go to Mane in Saudi Arabia later this year once she completes her final exams. The couple won’t even honeymoon after being forced by her father to focus this summer on studying for her baccalaureate degree, an academic qualification students earn at the end of their high school education.
Mane is currently in Senegal’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast but was hoping to leave with his new wife once it is over, with the final set to take place on February 11.
At his club, Mane is teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo, whose partner Georgina Rodriguez is considered one of the world’s most glamorous WAGs and has more than 55 million followers on Instagram.
But Aisha revealed: ‘I don’t know who she is and I don’t do social media.’
Family members revealed that, outside of her school work, Aisha spends most of her time studying the Quran and can recite large parts of it.
Her cousin Amadou, who lives in the same house as her, told MailOnline: ‘As a family, Islam is our first priority. We are not interested in everything that people associate with the life of a rich footballer.
“We are very happy that Aisha married Sadio, but that is because he is a modest man, not because he is rich and famous.”
Aisha’s childhood home, which also hosted her wedding ceremony, was built by her father Amadou Tamba, a contractor, so that members of the extended family could live together.
It is spread over three floors, with her cousin Amadou revealing that it can sometimes house up to thirty people when members of the wider family visit Dakar from their ancestral village.
Although Mr Tamba can be considered relatively wealthy by Senegalese standards, he pales into insignificance compared to Mane’s wealth.
The footballer joined Al Nassr in August 2023 on a four-year contract worth £136 million per season, tax-free. If he were to delay his deal until 2027, it would earn him a whopping £136 million.
In addition to his luscious salary, Mane also owns a fleet of luxury cars worth millions, including an Audi RS7, Mercedes G63, Range Rover Vogue and Bentley Continental GT.
But at the same time he is known for his philanthropic work and has built a school and hospital in his hometown and donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to various charity initiatives in Senegal.
Sadio Mane is married to his ’19-year-old girlfriend’ Aisha Tamba
The wedding took place on January 7 in a private ceremony in his home country of Senegal
Reports claim Aisha ‘had been meant for the 31-year-old footballer since her teenage years’
Sadio Mane kisses his new bride’s hand during a wedding photo shoot
Mane joined Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr in August 2023 on a four-year contract worth £136 million per season, tax-free
Since joining the Saudi Pro League, Mane has scored 12 times in 26 games
Aisha’s family home, which also hosted her wedding ceremony, was built by her father Amadou Tamba, a contractor, so that members of the extended family could live together.
Mane is currently in the Senegalese squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast but was hoping to leave with his new wife once it is over, with the final taking place on February 11.
The news of Mane and his girlfriend came on the same day he was pictured with the Senegalese national team ahead of AFCON
A family friend claimed: ‘Sadio is the most popular man in Senegal and people love him for what he has done for them. He is the greatest ambassador of our country.’
Amadou refused to reveal how many siblings Aisha has, insisting that “it’s not important.”
He said: “In Senegalese culture, your cousins are also your brothers and sisters, and unlike the West, there is no difference between us. It is our tradition that the whole family is together, because we are all one. This house is for all of us.’
Mane and his new wife are both originally from the Casamance region of Senegal, in the south of the country and about 430 kilometers from Dakar. They belong to the same Sosse ethnic group and speak the same native language.
The footballer first saw her about three years ago when she went to visit his family with her mother. His uncle then acted as an intermediary and helped arrange the union.
After the ceremony, Mr Tamba described his daughter as a “devout” Muslim and insisted her new life will not change her.
He said, “Let her remain 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.’