Mikel Deserved 2013 African Best Player Award – Yaya Toure

Manchester City legend Yaya Toure admitted that John Mikel Obi should have been crowned Africa’s best player in 2013.

Mikel was widely expected to win the prestigious award in the year after playing a crucial in Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League success.

The midfielder was also instrumental to Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations triumph in the same year.
Former Cote d’Ivoire captain, Toure however won the award for the third consecutive year.

“You deserved it, Obi, to be honest, because in the league, the season was perfect. Nigeria won the AFCON, and you were instrumental in this period,” Toure said Obi One Podcast.

“The thing is, I was told nothing [by CAF] and I said Obi deserved it at the time. If it were me or him [Obi Mikel], it would have been fine, but the big question was me attending the ceremony. If we don’t go there, who’s going to support?

“We’ve seen the Europeans supporting their own cause, their own events, and their own things. We Africans want to do that, but we have to make sure we unite and we go together.