Liverpool news: Gini Wijnaldum backtracks on Sadio Mane comments after AFCON win

Georginio Wijnaldum has joked that he "always believed" in Sadio Mane to score a penalty after the Liverpool star won the Africa Cup of Nations.

Mane netted the decisive spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out during Sunday's dramatic final, giving Senegal their first-ever AFCON title.

And although fellow Reds winger Mohamed Salah was left bitterly disappointed with losers Egypt, former teammate Wijnaldum was delighted for Mane and co.

"Some great friends and amazing players in the AFCON final yesterday, but only one team could win," the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder tweeted on Monday, having left Anfield at the end of last season.

"Congrats Sadio, [Idrissa Gana Gueye], [Abdou Diallo] and the whole Senegal team for this historic win and Sadio, you know I always believed in you taking penalties."

Wijnaldum's comments came ahead of the 2019 AFCON final, with Senegal eventually losing to Algeria 1-0.

Before the match, Sky Sports asked the Dutchman - then approaching his penultimate season at Anfield - if he had given Mane any advice, to which he replied: "Don't take penalties!"

Nearly three years on and the Senegal hero has proved Wijnaldum wrong, lifting the trophy in Cameroon on Sunday and later returning to native capital Dakar to celebrate the emotional win in his homeland.

However, Mane did miss a penalty in normal time after Aliou Cisse's side were awarded one just five minutes in when Saliou Ciss was brought down in the area by Egypt defender Mohamed Abdelmonem.

Goalkeeper Gabaski saved his effort but could not stop the 29-year-old's rifled winner in the shoot-out.

"It's the best day of my life and the best trophy of my life," Mane stated during the jubilation. "I won the Champions League and some [other]