Toure blames African nativity for not being regarded as one of world's best footballers

Image
ANI London
Last Updated : Apr 19 2014 | 11:55 AM IST

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure reportedly feels that the reason he is not regarded as one of the best players in the world is because he belongs to Africa.

The Ivory Coast international said that his teammate Samir Nasri is definitely true in saying that Toure would have been celebrated as one of the world's best midfielders were he not African.

According to the BBC, Toure, who has 22 goals this season and helped City to win the League Cup, also feels that his fellow countryman Didier Drogba and Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o are undervalued because they are African.

Toure said that in his honest opinion he has got proper recognition only from the fans, adding that he does not want to be hard or negative, but wants to be honest.

Toure, who has won league titles in Ivory Coast, Greece, Spain and England, said that the footballers belonging to Africa are not going to be where they want despite playing well, until they have the recognition from the media, the report added.

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Apr 19 2014 | 11:36 AM IST

Next Story