Bayern Munich are a club who are deeply in touch with the German traditions and their local community. For instance, every year, the team dresses up in traditional Bavarian attire and makes an appearance at Oktoberfest, the largest folk festival on Earth.
They interact with the community and indulge in the drinks on offer, i.e., beer. Fun fact: Over six million litres of beer is consumed in this two-week fest!
The players dress up in “Lederhosen” and head down to the fest. The club is linked to its roots and to the community in ways not really seen across other top clubs around the world.
This linkage of Oktoberfest and beer has been used by one of their sponsors, Paulaner, a local brewery, to promote their own products.
As part of the agreement, the Bayern team has to dress up in Lederhosen and pose with a pint of beer in each player’s hand.
However, a club so ingrained with traditions and roots knows better than to force its own tradition on other players.
As can be seen in the image, both Sadio Mane and Noussair Mazraoui, were without beer. Both the aforementioned players are Muslims and alcohol consumption is forbidden and frowned upon in their culture.
This is not the first time that Mane has publicly avoided alcohol either. During Liverpool’s Carabao Cup celebrations, Mane can be seen waving and discouraging the spraying of champagne.
Fans have applauded and appreciated the Senegalese forward for staying true to his personal beliefs and not forgetting his roots.
Sadio Mane, himself, is in touch with his own community back in Africa. His philanthropy has resulted in schools and hospitals being built in his village, Bambali. He has also built a petrol station, provided 4G internet and donated heavily during the ongoing pandemic.
And all this has not distracted him from his footballing. He is Senegal’s top goalscorer, with 32 goals, and won 6 trophies with Liverpool, including the esteemed UEFA Champions League in 2018-19. He has even won the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Senegal.
The player has had a blazing start at his new club, Bayern Munich, scoring four goals in five games, and this is after accounting for the fact that he has already had FIVE goals disallowed by VAR this season. The club currently sits at the top of the league table, winning three matches and drawing once.
A rapid player with quick feet and an eye for goal, Sadio Mane is a national icon, and not just for his footballing records.
[…] The following blog was written as part of freelancing for Thick Accent: https://www.thickaccent.com/2022/08/30/sadio-mane-holds-out-on-beer-in-new-bayern-munich-photoshoot/ […]