Sadio Mane, 31, married his 18-year-old ‘long-term’ girlfriend Aisha Tamba at a private ceremony in Dakar, Senegal recently. Initial reports were that the Liverpool legend first met his bride when she was 16, but now her dad has come out and confirmed that they met ‘several years ago’. As in, when she was underage.

Aisha’s father, Amadou Tamba, has landed his son-in-law right in it by explaining the couple met during a meeting between the two families several years ago. Explaining how they met, Mr Tamba said Mane had seen “something special” in his daughter.

Mr Tamba said: “My wife and Aisha visited their [Mane’s] family one day, and this is where he met her for the first time. He probably saw something special in her and his parents appreciated her as well. They came to see me. We discussed as per the tradition, agreed on everything and waited for this day to happen.”

He added that “they were not dating because Aisha was still young”. Then he confirmed: “She is 18… It [the first time Mane saw her] was more than two years ago.”

So basically, as per Islamic tradition, young Aisha was promised to Sadio Mane and then all they had to do was wait until she turned 18 so he could marry her. Until then, superstar millionaire footballer Mane paid her phone bill and school fees. Absolute jackpot for her parents! And her too, of course.

Mr Tamba added: “With the values and all that she heard about him, she accepted voluntarily. But as parents we also guided and advised her to freely make up her mind. God did what’s best for her.”

Naturally, this new information will fuel the shouts of Mane being a groomer and a nonce and whatnot, but at the end of the day, we have to remember that people do things differently in other parts of the world and they did at least wait until everything was legal and above board to get it on.

Most importantly though, they look happy and in love. Best of luck to Mr and Mrs Mane!

For the time the internet freaked out at Scott Disick, 37, for dating a 19-year-old model, click HERE.