Former Manchester City star Yaya Toure has admitted that Nigerian footballer John Mikel Obi was the rightful winner of the 2013 CAF African Player of the Year award.
That year, Mikel had a strong season. He helped Chelsea win the UEFA Champions League and played a big part in Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) victory. Many fans and experts expected him to win the top African football prize.
But the award went to Yaya Toure, who won it for the third time in a row.
Now, years later, Toure has said Mikel should have taken the award. Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, he praised Mikel’s performances and success during the 2013 season.
“You deserved it, Obi, to be honest,” Toure said. “Your season was great. Nigeria won AFCON, and you were a key player.”
Toure also said he was not told ahead of time that he would win. He added that he would have been happy if Mikel had received the award instead.
“I was not informed by CAF. I said then that Obi deserved it,” he said. “Whether it was me or him, it was fine. But it was important that we showed up at the event to support it.”
The Ivorian football legend also used the chance to speak about African unity. He said Africans should come together more often to support each other’s events and achievements.
“Europeans always support their people and events. We Africans must do the same and stand together,” he said.
