The father of Sadio Mane’s 18-year-old bride reveals the couple had a traditional arranged marriage and hadn’t dated before tying the knot, as he details the ‘humble’ footballer’s first meeting with his daughter

The father of Sadio Mane’s teenage bride has revealed she had a traditional arranged marriage to the footballer and they did not date before tying the knot.

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.

The wedding took place at Aisha’s home and was attended by family and close friends.

Her father Amadou Tamba revealed afterwards that his daughter is 18 years old and that Mane, 31, first saw her “more than two years ago” when she went to visit his family with her mother.

Mr Tamba said: ‘My wife and Aisha were visiting their (Mane’s) family one day, and this is where he met her for the first time.

‘He probably saw something special in her and his parents appreciated her too. They came to see me. We discussed according to tradition, agreed on everything and waited for this day to come.”

He added: ‘They weren’t in a relationship because Aisha was still young.’

Speaking to local media, Mr Tamba confirmed: “She is 18…. It (the first time Mane saw her) was over two years ago.”

Mr Tamba did not give an exact date when he first spoke to Aisha about marrying Mane, but said he never doubted that she would not accept it.

According to local reports, the marriage was arranged while she was still in school, with both families deciding to wait until she was 18 so she could complete her studies. Mane reportedly financed her education.

Mr Tamba said: “With the values ​​and everything she heard about him, she accepted it willingly. But as parents we also guided and advised her to make a decision with complete freedom. God did what was best for her.”

According to family friends, Mane’s uncle, who is close friends with Mr Tamba, acted as an intermediary with an imam who visited him to make a formal marriage proposal on the footballer’s behalf.

Mr Tamba is a wealthy contractor in the construction industry, who revealed that he has been working closely with Mane and his family on a number of projects since 2013.

He also said he grew close to the multi-millionaire footballer and appreciated his values, which influenced his decision to agree to the marriage.

He said: ‘I knew that Sadio and his whole family are very good and humble people. Sadio is just a reflection of his family.

‘But as a father I also needed to know more about him, his education, his faith in God, humility. And I learned a lot more that he is a good person.

‘Sadio and I talk a lot about the projects, but we also talk about life in general and he has taught me a lot, even though he is still young. He knows a lot about life and I learned a lot from him. Therefore, I did not hesitate to accept his request to marry Aisha.”

Mr Tamba said he had developed a close relationship with Mane over the years.

He added: ‘There is strong trust in our relationship. This isn’t about his fame or his wealth. The first thing I like about him is his good education.

‘And now that I have given him my daughter, I would like him to take good care of her and, above all, to live according to the Islamic commandments, because he is a good Muslim.

“I would like him to help her grow, even though she is trying her best, this is very important to me.”

The proud father described his daughter as a ‘devout’ Muslim who has a good knowledge of the Quran.

Mane and his new wife are both originally from the Casmance 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.

When asked what advice he had for the footballer after his marriage, he said: ‘I would like to tell him that marriage is not easy. I would advise him to treat her like his own daughter, his own sister. To support her. He has already done it… but I would like him to strengthen this support.

‘Let them live according to religion. Don’t let them worry about the meaningless details of life.’

Mane currently plays for Saudi Pro League Club Al Nassar, but is currently with the Senegalese squad preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations, which takes place in Ivory Coast.

Mr Tamba admitted his daughter will now lead a dramatically different life as the wife of a wealthy international footballer. She is currently staying with family in Dakar and it is not known whether she will move to Saudi Arabia to join her husband.

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.’