Sadio Mane wins Socrates Prize for charity initiatives in Senegal

France Football Magazine awarded Monday the Senegalese forward of Bayern Munich the Socrates Prize for his charity work in his home country.
“The Socrates Prize identifies the best social initiative by committed champions,” said a statement from France Football magazine.
The French weekly sport magazine has added the humanitarian award to the global iconic 2022 Ballon d’Or ceremony.
The 30-year-old Mane is the first to win the accolade named after the late footballer Socrates, who co-founded the Corinthians Democracy movement, in opposition to the ruling military government in 1980s Brazil.
The reigning African Footballer of the Year is being reckoned for building a public hospital and funded schools and families in his home village of Bambali in recent years, and also donated to the Senegalese National Committee to help fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I’m really happy to be a guest tonight,” Mane said.
“Sometimes I’m a bit shy, but I’m really happy to do what I can do for my people to make things better.”
He received congratulatory messages for fans and high profile people including Senegalese leader Macky Sall.
“Best on the field and a humanist at heart, Sadio Mane deserves this beautiful award of the #Socrates trophy for his personal investment to benefit the community! #BalloDor,” Sall said in a Twitter post.