Former Cote d’Ivoire captain Yaya Toure has admitted that John Mikel Obi was robbed of the Africa Player of the year award in 2013.
The Man City legend pipped Mikel to the award despite the Super Eagles legend leading Chelsea to the Champions League, and winning the Nations Cup with Nigeria.
However, CAF named Yaya Toure the winner of the award, drawing widespread criticisms from Nigerians.
He has has now admitted that Mikel deserved to win the award in an interview with the former Chelsea midfielder on his podcast show.
Toure said: “You deserved it, Obi, to be honest, because in the league, the season was perfect. Nigeria won the AFCON, and you were instrumental in this period.
“The thing is, I was told nothing [by CAF] and I said Obi deserved it at the time. If it were me or him [Obi Mikel], it would have been fine, but the big question was me attending the ceremony. If we don’t go there, who’s going to support?
“We’ve seen the Europeans supporting their own cause, their own events, and their own things. We Africans want to do that, but we have to make sure we unite and we go together.”
Toure enjoyed a phenomenal career for club, and country winning the Champions League, Premier League, while leading Cote d’Ivoire to the Nations Cup trophy in 2015.
He also won numerous individual awards including the African Player of year award four times.
