Ex-Liverpool striker Sadio Mane has married his 19-year-old girlfriend Aisha Tamba in a private ceremony in his home country of Senegal.

The wedding is believed to have taken place on January 7 in Keur Massar, an area in the capital city of Dakar, just six days before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations on January 13.

The event was said to be attended by family, friends, and fellow footballers.

Reports claim Aisha ‘was long intended for the 31-year-old footballer since her teenage years’ though it is not known exactly how long they have been dating. The legal age of consent in Senegal is 16 years of age.

It was also reported by Pulse Sports that the former Liverpool star had taken care of her bills when she was in school.

Sadio Mane has married his ’19-year-old long-time girlfriend, Aisha Tamba

The wedding took place in a private ceremony in his home country of Senegal on January 7

Reports claim Aisha ‘was long intended for the 31-year-old footballer since her teenage years’

Sadio Mane kisses the hand of his new bride in a wedding photoshoot 

The footballer is seen affectionately fixing his bride’s veil in the wedding photos 

The couple holding hands and smiling, with a floral background behind them  

Initial reports claimed Aisha was 18 years old, but on Tuesday night, Senegalese media said she was 19 and from a suburb of the capital, Dakar.

The couple share the same religion, Islam, and are both said to be private people. A few of the official wedding photos were shared on @SMane_Officiel, with the caption ‘thanks to God’ written in Arabic.

Pictures of the wedding have been published on Instagram by photography company @Magvision_Evens_Officiel. The photos show Mane and his wife, who grew up in the Casamance area of Senegal and is the daughter of an architect, holding hands and posing after the ceremony.

One image shows the pair sitting below a display of roses, with the words ‘Mrs. Mane’ imprinted on the wall.

A video posted on X (formerly Twitter) by @abdullahayofel showed the two smiling and laughing as they sat together on a sofa after their wedding.

It was captioned: ‘A very simple and humble man; congratulations, Sadio Mane. May Allah bless your union.’

The wedding photos show Aisha wearing a mermaid-style, intricate, fitted, lacey dress with long sleeves and a silky veil.

Other photos show a second outfit: a silk white top and skirt combo, which she has teamed with a chunky gold necklace and earrings. The bride also has henna on both hands.

Mane is seen wearing a traditional Senegalese dress in the pictures.

During his time at Liverpool, Mane had not publicly announced any relationships and had kept Aisha a secret.

Back in 2022, he had, however, spoken out about the type of person that he would marry.

‘I’ve seen a lot of girls asking me why I am not married, but sorry, you might be wasting your time. The woman I marry will not be on social networks,’ Mane said, according to the Tribune.

‘I want to marry a woman who respects God and prays well. Everyone has their own way of making their choice of love,’ Mane added.

The footballer first spotted Aisha when she was 16, but he did not approach her formally at the time, according to Sports Brief.

However, he reportedly communicated his intentions to his uncle, a friend of the family, which led to their eventual union.

The couple pose together, with Aisha affectionately holding Mane’s chin 

Aisha is seen wearing gold jewellery in some of the wedding snaps 

Mane joined Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr in a deal that will see him earn £650,000-per-week

Since joining the Saudi Pro League side, Mane has scored 12 times in 26 appearances