Ivorian and Manchester City
midfielder Yaya Toure, Thursday,emerged the Glo CAF Player of the Year for
2013, beating Eagles star John Mikel Obi and his Ivorian national team mate
Didier Drogba to the prized diadem. It is Toure’s third straight African Player
of the Year award.
At a colourful, grand and
entertaining show held last night at the Eko Hotel in Victoria Island, Toure
was presented his award amidst pomp and pageantry.
Born on May 13, 1983,
Touré is renowned for combining great vision, passing ability, and physical
power with technique. A versatile
player, he aspired to be a striker during his youth and has played centre back
for clubs including FC Barcelona in the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final.
He frequently plays as a box-to-box midfielder for club and country and often
switches between defensive and offensive positions throughout matches.
Touré began his playing career
at Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas, where he made his debut aged 18. He was voted
African Footballer of the Year for 2011 and 2012.
His performances attracted
attention from Europe, playing for clubs in various European leagues. Touré
played for Beveren in Belgium, Metalurh Donetsk in Ukraine, Olympiacos in
Greece, and AS Monaco in France. In 2007, Touré moved to Barcelona, playing
over 100 matches for the club and was part of the historic 2009 Barcelona team
which won six trophies in one calendar year.
Yaya Touré then moved to Premier
League club Manchester City in 2010, where he has since scored a number of key
goals for the Citizens – most notably the only goals in the 2011 FA Cup
semi-final and Final. Touré has a distinguished international career with 74
caps for Ivory Coast, representing the team in their first appearance in a FIFA
World Cup, in the 2006 competition and in 2010.
Touré has been a regular member
of the Ivory Coast national team since his debut in 2004.
In 2006, he appeared for les
Éléphants in all three of the team’s matches at its first ever World Cup. In
the 2010 tournament, he again appeared in all of Côte d’Ivoire’s matches,
scoring the opening goal in a 3–0 win over North Korea.
Do have your say: Are you
surprised Toure won?
Source:
Vanguard
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