Yaya Toure: Man City star named CafPlayer of the Year

Ivorian Midfielder, Yaya Toure, has
beaten Nigerian Super Eagles and Chelsea
FC midfielder, John Mikel Obi to win for
the 3rd consecutive year, the coveted
‘African Footballer of the Year’ Award, at
the Glo CAF Awards 2013 held in Lagos.

Mikel Obi was highly favoured by many
Nigerians who saw his exploits and team
successes with club and country in 2013 as
the best credentials to claim the award
which has eluded Nigerian footballers
since Kanu Nwankwo won it in the year
1999. While Nigeria confirmed its status
as the number 1 footballing country on
the African continent during the year
2013 by winning in five categories, the
loss of the ultimate crown would cast a
gloom on the other successes. The
Nigerian Super Eagles won the award for
the 'National Team of the Year', while the
national Under-17 team, Golden Eaglets,
also won 'Youth National Team of the
Year' at the Glo CAF Awards 2013. Both
teams had been expected by many pundits
to claim the awards, having won major
tournaments at continental and global
levels during the year in review. The
Super Eagles won the African Cup of
Nations (AFCON) 2013 for the first time
in 19 years, while the Golden Eaglets won
the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup
tournament in United Arab Emirates.
Golden Eaglets’ wonder kid, Kelechi
Iheanacho, unsurprisingly won the ‘Most
Promising Talent’ Award. Ihenacho was the
most decorated at the 2013 FIFA
Under-17 World Cup, winning the
tournament’s Adidas Golden Ball Award
for the overall best player, alongside the
Silver Boot Award for being the second
highest goal scorer, as he helped Nigeria
to its 4th title to become the most
successful team in the history of the age
grade competition. The Nigerian Super
Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, was also
named ‘African Coach of the Year’ for his
exploits with the African Champions. Keshi
became the first Nigerian to win the
Nations’ Cup as player and coach, and only
the second African coach to do so after
Egypt's Mahmoud El-Gohary. Fair Play
Award went to the Nigerian Supporters
Club, globally popular for their constant
playing of music and dancing while
supporting the Nigerian national teams.
Other winners at the awards were
Egyptian, Mohammed Aboutreika, who beat
Nigeria’s African Nations’ Cup final hero,
Sunday Mba, to win the ‘African Player of
the Year based in Africa’, while the ‘Club
of the Year’ went to Al Ahly FC of Egypt.
The ‘Referee of the Year’ award went to
Algerian, Haimoudi Djamel, who officiated
the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Final
between Nigeria and Burkina Faso, and
also officiated the 2013 FIFA
Confederations Cup play-off for third
place between Uruguay and Italy. The
African Team of the Year is made up of
Vincent Enyeama (NIG), Ahmed Fathy
(EGY), Mehdi (MOR), Kevin Constant
(GUI), Mikel Obi (NIG), Mohammed
Aboutreika (EGY), Yaya Toure (CIV),
Jonathan Pitroipa (BFA) , Pierre-Emerick
Aubameyang (GAB), Emmanuel Emenike
(NIG), Asamoah Gyan (GHA) Coach
Stephen Keshi (NIG) Five Nigerian players
from the successful AFCON 2013 Eagles
were nominated for the now lost ‘African
Player of the Year’ Award; they include
Emmanuel Emenike, Ahmed Musa, Mikel
Obi, Sunday Mba and Vincent Enyeama.
Only Mikel Obi made the final 3 man
nominees list alongside the 3rd time
winner, Ivorian, Yaya Toure and his Ivorian
counterpart, Didier Drogba. Winners were
announced in Lagos on January 9, 2014.