Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure has enjoyed an exciting football career, playing everywhere from Belgium, Greece, France, Spain, and now England, racking up a Super League Greece title, two La Liga trophies, a Copa del Rey crown, and a UEFA Champions League medal, alongside two English Premier League titles, just to name a few.
Born May 13, 1983, in Bouake, the Citizens powerhouse started grabbing attention during his time at Greek heavyweights Olympiacos. After a trial with Arsenal and a one-and-a-half year spell with Metalurh Donetsk, the 1.91 metres tall midfielder won the double with his Greek side. He then joined Ligue 1 outfits Monaco, where a series of eye-catching displays grabbed the attention of Barcelona, making a £6.7 million move to the Camp Nou in 2007.
After three successful years at Barcelona, being a part of the all-conquering Pep Guardiola side who claimed six trophies in one season, Yaya Toure found his playing time hard to come buy and moved abroad to England for £24 million, joining Manchester City. Here, Yaya quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with, winning the FA Cup in his first season at Manchester, and the English Premier League the next. After a disappointing 2010-2011 season, which saw his team go without a single trophy, the Manchester City midfielder came back stronger next the season after, winning the double under Manuel Pellegrini, as the Citizens claimed the league title and Capital One Cup.
Yaya Toure, known for his physical box-to-box displays, has been a regular in the national side, debuting for Ivory Coast in 2004. He went on to feature in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the 2010 one in South Africa, and has all but secured his spot in the 2014 squad headed for Brazil. His dominant performances has lead him to be named African Player of the Year three years in a row, from 2011 to 2013.
Yaya Toure is the second-highest goal-scoring midfielder in the EPL
