Yaya Toure crowned the 2011 African Footballer of the year
By Prince Zurbah ( Accra,Ghana) & Peterking Quaye – News monitored from Ghana’s capital revealed that Ivorian and Manchester City Star Yaya Toure has been crowned the 2011 African Footballer of the Year in a memorable ceremony at the Banquet Hall State House in Accra.
Yaya Toure
Shout-Africa.com reporter explained that at the event Toure fended off challenge from Mali’s Seydou Keita and Ghana’s Andre Dede Ayew who won the second and third positions respectively.
The 28-year-old Toure, whose elder brother Kolo also plays in the same Manchester City team, finished ahead of Marseille and Ghana midfielder Andre Ayew, and Barcelona and Mali midfielder Seydou Keita, in a vote among Africa-based national coaches. Defending title holder Samuel Eto’o and Lille striker Moussa Sow had been eliminated from the voting shortlist earlier in the week.
Yaya Toure
It has been a superb year for Toure, who has helped big-spending City top the English Premier League table, as well as scoring the only goal that saw the club defeat Stoke 1-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley in May — City’s first major trophy in 35 years. Toure has played for six clubs in six different countries during a nomadic career. After starting off at Belgium side Beveren, he played for Ukrainian side Metalurg Donetsk and Olympiacos of Greece, before spending a season in France with Monaco.
Yaya Toure
However, it was at Barcelona that Toure really made his name, earning a Champions League winners’ medal in 2009. The 28 year old star, renowned for his skill, power and technique led Manchester City to their first ever FA Cup victory in 35 years, scoring the solitary goal in the man-of-the-match performance against Manchester United in the semi-final. He again scored the match winner against Stoke in the finals of the same competition.
Toure has been exemplary in the Ivorian National team, pulling the strings in midfield and playing a key role in qualifying the Ivorians to the 2012 Nations Cup to be held in Guinea and Gabon.
Toure helped Ivory Coast qualify for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations with the only 100% record, winning all six games against Rwanda, Burundi and Benin. Toure’s victory prevented history from being made, with Ayew attempting to follow in the footsteps of his father, Abedi Pele, who won the award for three consecutive years from 1991 to 1993.
