Sadio Mané and New Balance have collaborated on a newly-released football boot, the Furon V5 Maagum, to celebrate his Senegalese heritage and detail the inspiring narrative which saw the Liverpool star become one of the most talented forwards in the world game.  

The boots were released this week in a limited batch of just 405 pairs, a number which is also indicative of the kilometres from Mané’s hometown Bambaly to the Senegalese capital Dakhar, where the Premier League Golden Boot joint-winner attended trials to earn his place in the nation’s football academy, the AcadĂ©mie Generation Foot.

The word “Maagum” comes from the Wolof-language and translates to ‘Rise’, which itself relates to the ‘Simb of Senegal’, an expressive ritual celebrating man’s transformation into the fearsome lion.  

The primarily white boot incorporates 15 chevrons on its upper, representing the age at which Mané undertook the journey from Bambaly to Dakhar, whilst the respective dates of his first appearance and goal for the national team can be found on the red aglets of the laces.  

Aside from this, the majority of the boot’s intricate detailing actually appears inside the shoe itself, with the most notable feature being the Senegalese National Team-inspired graphic on the heel-lining, where a formidable lion’s head appears in a traditional Senegalese face-painting style, referencing the ‘Lions of Teranga’, the nickname for the Senegalese National Team.

Mané weighed in with his own take on the creation:

“I’m so proud to have a boot that celebrates my connection to my homeland. New Balance’s design team have done a fantastic job of creating a design that represents my football journey and my Senegalese heritage”.