Known for his versatility and power on the field, professional footballer Yaya Touré has made a pretty big name for himself in recent years. The African Footballer of the Year three years in a row (2011, 2012, and 2013), the Manchester City player is popular among European football fans and Ivorians back home. Touré has been an integral part of the Côte d’Ivoire national team for nearly a decade. But beyond his phenomenal playing ability, here are 10 things you didn’t know about footballer Yaya Touré.
Known
for his versatility and power on the field, professional footballer
Yaya Touré has made a pretty big name for himself in recent years. The
African Footballer of the Year three years in a row (2011, 2012, and
2013), the Manchester City player is popular among European football
fans and Ivorians back home. Touré has been an integral part of the Côte
d’Ivoire national team for nearly a decade. But beyond his phenomenal
playing ability, here are 10 things you didn’t know about footballer
Yaya Touré. - See more at:
http://afkinsider.com/50102/10-things-didnt-know-yaya-toure/?utm_source=outbrain&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=widget&utm_campaign=afkInsider.desktop.africa#sthash.aq9GZDSc.dpuf
Known
for his versatility and power on the field, professional footballer
Yaya Touré has made a pretty big name for himself in recent years. The
African Footballer of the Year three years in a row (2011, 2012, and
2013), the Manchester City player is popular among European football
fans and Ivorians back home. Touré has been an integral part of the Côte
d’Ivoire national team for nearly a decade. But beyond his phenomenal
playing ability, here are 10 things you didn’t know about footballer
Yaya Touré. - See more at:
http://afkinsider.com/50102/10-things-didnt-know-yaya-toure/#sthash.LKclzkVR.dpuf
Known
for his versatility and power on the field, professional footballer
Yaya Touré has made a pretty big name for himself in recent years. The
African Footballer of the Year three years in a row (2011, 2012, and
2013), the Manchester City player is popular among European football
fans and Ivorians back home. Touré has been an integral part of the Côte
d’Ivoire national team for nearly a decade. But beyond his phenomenal
playing ability, here are 10 things you didn’t know about footballer
Yaya Touré. - See more at:
http://afkinsider.com/50102/10-things-didnt-know-yaya-toure/#sthash.LKclzkVR.dpuf
Known
for his versatility and power on the field, professional footballer
Yaya Touré has made a pretty big name for himself in recent years. The
African Footballer of the Year three years in a row (2011, 2012, and
2013), the Manchester City player is popular among European football
fans and Ivorians back home. Touré has been an integral part of the Côte
d’Ivoire national team for nearly a decade. But beyond his phenomenal
playing ability, here are 10 things you didn’t know about footballer
Yaya Touré. - See more at:
http://afkinsider.com/50102/10-things-didnt-know-yaya-toure/#sthash.LKclzkVR.dpuf
Touré got his first pair of football shoes at the age of 10
A natural talent, he played football with friends and family in the streets of Abidjan from a young age. He soon followed in his older brother Kolo’s footsteps to become a key player for the local youth team, ASEC Mimosas- See more at: http://afkinsider.com/50102/10-things-didnt-know-yaya-toure/2/#sthash.29YEOGlz.dpuf
11. Touré got his first
pair of football shoes at the age of 10
A
natural talent, he played football with friends and family in the streets of
Abidjan from a young age. He soon followed in his older brother Kolo’s
footsteps to become a key player for the local youth team, ASEC Mimosas.
12. He is a practicing
Muslim
Frequently
named Man of the Match during his time in the Premier League, Touré has turned
down the English tradition of champagne after league games in accordance with
his religious beliefs.
3. He almost joined
Arsenal in 2003
While
playing for the Belgian team, Beveren, Touré trialed with Arsenal in 2003.
While the manager was interested in signing him, he had difficulties getting a
work permit to play in England. Rather than waiting, Touré took a contract with
the Ukrainian team Metalurh Donetsk instead, where he played for more than a
year.
14. Both of his brothers
are professional footballers
Most
are familiar with older brother Kolo Touré, Yaya’s teammate both on the Côte
d’Ivoire national team and Manchester City, before Kolo was transferred to
Liverpool in 2013. Few may be able to name Yaya’s younger brother, Ibrahim
Touré, however, who plays for Al-Safa Sporting Club in Lebanon.
Yaya with his brother, Kolo Toure |
15. He’s been known to
give PUMA equipment to children in West Africa
A
spokesman for the athletic company Puma, Yaya has never forgotten his roots and
frequently donates gear to children in need back in Côte d’Ivoire and other
countries in West Africa, among his other charitable endeavors.
16. He clashed with AS
Monaco manager, László Bölöni
When
Yaya moved to play for the French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco in 2006, he initially
had issues with the manager, László Bölöni. Bölöni wouldn’t put Touré at the
midfield position where he had played the majority of his career and proven
himself. He was sacked in the middle of the season as Monaco was performing
poorly.
17. He is one of the few
midfielders to win African Footballer of the Year
Before
Yaya’s first African Footballer of the Year award in 2011, the previous 12
years’ awards had gone to African forwards. As forwards receive more scoring
opportunities, they occupy higher-profile positions on the field and receive
recognition more often.
8. He has a history of
being targeted by racist mobs.
Yaya
has commented several times on his love of playing football in England, where
racist mobs targeting black players is a rare occurrence. The worst incidents
occurred while he was playing in Portugal and Moscow.
19. Touré is known for
staying behind after training each day
A
strong believer that practice makes perfect, Yaya stays behind after practice
in order to continue to improve his free-kick technique in particular.
10. He is a goodwill
ambassador for the U.N. Environment Program
After
joining a campaign against elephant poaching in October, Yaya was named a
goodwill ambassador for the U.N. and helps to raise awareness about the
problem, along with other environmental issues.
Sources:
ESPNFC.com
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