Cote D’Ivoire defeated Ghana in a penalty shootout 9-8 following a goalless 120 minutes in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in February. The result allowed the Elephants, led by former Zambia coach Herve Renard, to lift the trophy and earn the title of African champion for the second time in their history. Toure captained the team to victory, and lifted the trophy to finally crown the golden generation of Ivorian football with the top African national team trophy.
The player was at the centre of an odd situation last year, where he distanced himself from Manchester City, saying that the club did not respect him and wish him a happy birthday in the way he expected. His agent inflamed the situation with his comments, and the quote above came from Toure’s official Twitter account, as an attempt to disarm the situation with humour.
According to the recently released France Football 2014 report looking at the highest paid players in world football, the Ivorian midfield sensation is the only African player included in the top 20 spots on the list. He received approximately €20 million ($21,9 million per year) in endorsements and salary from his English Premier League club in 2014. This puts him tie for 11th place in the list, along with Chelsea star Eden Hazard. His endorsements include money-spinning deals with Puma and Nissan, amongst other companies.
The Cote D’Ivoire captain spoke out to dispel rumours regarding plans to retire from the Ivorian national team following their triumph at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Brother Kolo Toure and goalkeeper Boubacar Barry decided to retire from the national team following the AFCON title victory, and rumours then surfaced concerning the possibility of Yaya to follow suit. The skipper squashed the rumours and restated his determination to fight on in the orange colours of his national team.
Toure has a big heart and is a very charitable individual, and frequently donates gear to children in need back in Cote d’Ivoire and other countries in West Africa, among his other charitable endeavors. The current African Player of the Year negotiated his Puma deal to include an element dedicated to charity, with Puma clothing and shoes donated to underprivileged in West Africa.
The former Barcelona player discussed his impressions of the physicality and demands of the game in England, where he has been a force in midfield for Manchester City, displaying his superb athletic ability and the strength that he possesses. Known for his physical presence, Toure found it easy to adapt to the English top flight, but many players struggle with the pace and power required.
Yaya grew up with a big family of nine siblings: two girls and seven boys. His older brother Kolo Toure is also a decorated footballer of top calibre, having represented the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City during his career.
Toure said this to the press during the recent season, explaining that he believes African players are not offered the same positive exposure as Europeans are, despite the fact that Africa can count on many world class footballers.
The midfielder has played for two top teams in two of the best European leagues, representing La Liga club Barcelona from 2007 to 2010 before moving to Manchester City in the English Premier League. He also played in Greece and France before Barca, impressing in midfield for Olympiacos and Monaco.
The current African Player of the Year recently praised the FIFA anti-discrimination monitoring system which is set to be used to monitor the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. The effort will see FIFA sending European anti-discrimination organisation FARE trained observers to attend any qualification games that are considered high risk in terms of potential racist behaviour from fans in attendance.
Toure’s feelings seem to have changed in recent times, with agent Dimitri Seluk revealing that his Ivorian client is the subject of strong interest from three main clubs, and he seems destined to leave The Citizens at the end of the current season. “It’s 90% certain he’ll leave Manchester City this summer.” he told Sky Sports.
Toure feels very blessed to live the life of a footballer and have all of the benefits that goes with his dream occupation, but he is a professional, and approaches his career in a focused way, treating it as he would any work, that needs to be completed with dedication and the right ethic.
