Yaya Toure blasts decision not to make him African Player of the Year

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has called African football’s governing body of being “indecent” and “pathetic” after failing to win its player of the year award for a fifth successive occasion.

Toure finished runner-up to Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in a vote for the African Footballer of the Year award.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates his achievement on Instagram

The Ivory Coast international, 32, said the decision “brings shame” to the continent, arguing that he deserved the accolade after captaining his country to the Africa Cup of Nations title for the first time in 23 years last January.

A vote of coaches and technical directors from countries within the Confederation of African Football decided the winner, with Aubameyang the first player from Gabon to receive the award. Toure was second and Swansea’s Ghana international forward Andre Ayew third.

The Manchester City midfielder congratulated Aubameyang, who is the Bundesliga’s leading scorer with 18 goals in 17 for Dortmund this season, but argued that those voting had placed a higher value on football achievements outside Africa.

He said: “I’m very, very disappointed. It’s sad to see Africa react this way, that they don’t think African achievements are important.

“I think this is what brings shame to Africa, because to act in that way is indecent. But what can we do about it? Us Africans, we don’t show that Africa is important in our eyes. We favour more what’s abroad than our own continent. That is pathetic. Even Fifa, with all its history of corruption, wouldn’t do this.

Yaya Toure in action for Ivory Coast

“Yaya will take care of Yaya and let Africa take care of itself. As I’ve been told many times, you can’t take care of Africa too much because Africa will be the first to let you down.”

Toure has received criticism for his performances at club level this season, with former Liverpool defender turned Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher describing his display during a 2-1 Premier League defeat at Arsenal in December as a “joke”.

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