2013 CAF Footballer of the Year: Yaya Toure

 

Ivorian Yaya Toure has been named the CAF footballer of 2013. The Manchester City midfielder was up against Nigerian Mikel Obi and fellow ivorian Didier Drogba. But the big midfielder brushed aside the duo and claimed his 3rd straight CAF Award. Only Abedi Pele of Ghana and Samuel Eto of Cameroun have had three straight Awards.

Toure had a strong year in 2013, helping the Ivory Coast qualify for World Cup 2014, playing in both legs of the Elephants’ play-off triumph over Senegal.

He was also the only African representative on the 23-man shortlist for FIFA’s World Player of the Year award and was also chosen by supporters in the Premier League’s Team of 2013.

Toure may not have won a major trophy for club and country last year but his class has shone through at both domestic level and for the Elephants of Ivory Coast. He had won the BBC Award in december last year.

In other awards given out in Lagos at the event, Nigeria was named National Team of the Year with Stephen Keshi the Coach of the year after their exploits in the AFCON 2013 in South Africa. Kelechi Iheanacho was named promising talent of the year with the Nigerian u-17 Golden Eaglets being the youth theme of the year. Manchester City bound Iheanacho was the best player in UAE and the Eaglets were the champions.

Mohammed Aboutrika won the African based Africa-player of the year for the 4th straight time and Al Ahly winning the club of the year after winning the CAF Champions League.

Full list of winners:
Africa player of the year: Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast)

Africa-based player of the year: iMohamed Abou-Treika (Egypt)

Referee of the year: Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria)

Most Promising Talent: Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria)

Coach of the Year: Stephen Keshi (Nigeria)

National Team: Nigeria

Club of the Year: Ahly (Egypt)

Youth National team of the year: Nigeria U-17, winner of the FIFA U-17 World Cup

CAF Fair play award: Nigeria supporters

CAF Legend: Bruno Metsu (France), Mehdi Jose Faria (Brazil)

Africa XI :
Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria) – Ahmed Fathi (Egypt), Mehdi Benatia (Morocco), Kevin Constant (Guinea) – Mohamed Abou-Treika (Egypt), John Obi Mikel (Nigeria), Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast), Jonathan Pitroipa (Burkina Faso) – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Emmanuel Emenike (Nigeria), Asamoah Gyan (Ghana).

Coach: Keshi

Do you agree with the awards? comment.