Yaya Toure has won the CAF African Footballer of the Year award for the third-successive year.
City’s Ivorian powerhouse saw off competition from Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel and Galatasaray’s Didier Drogba to be named the best player in Africa for 2013 in a ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria on Thursday night.
Yaya becomes only the second player to clinch the prize on three consecutive occasions after Samuel Eto’o achieved the feat between 2003 and 2005.
Upon receiving his award, Toure declared: “I am very proud and very happy to receive this award, but would also like to congratulate my brothers, John Obi Mikel and Didier Drogba.”
This 22nd CAF African Footballer of the Year award is not to be confused with the BBC African Footballer of the Year award Yaya won in December 2013 which was voted for by supporters across the globe.
This latest honour was decided by a poll of African national team coaches and technical directors.
Toure now only needs to win the award one more time to join Eto’o in an elite band of African players honoured with the prize the most times (four).
He has made the perfect start towards that milestone with his excellent performances in the early weeks of 2014.
...Yaya Toure: CAF African Footballer of the Year...
Most recently, 30-year old played an instrumental role in City’s dismantling of West Ham in the Capital One Cup semi-final first-leg at the Etihad Stadium, weighing in with a sublime assist for Alvaro Negredo’s first goal, before scoring a magnificent solo goal of his own before half-time.
Already this season, Yaya has contributed to City’s cause with 13 goals in his 26 appearances - a remarkable one-in-two return for a midfielder which includes a growing portfolio of stunning free-kicks.
Toure was also the only African representative on the 23-man shortlist for FIFA’s World Player of the Year award and he was also chosen by supporters in the Premier League’s Team of 2013.
In addition, the man from Bouaké was joined by Vincent Kompany as one of only two Premier League players to be named in L’equipe’s 2013 World XI.
In 2013, Yaya also helped his nation qualify for World Cup 2014, playing in both legs of the Elephants’ play-off triumph over Senegal.
Everyone at the club would like to congratulate Yaya on his fantastic achievement.
