Yaya Toure
The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (November 2014) Yaya Touré Yaya Touré at a press conference in 2009 Personal information Full name Gnégnéri Yaya Touré Date of birth (1983-05-13) 13 May 1983 (age 31) Place of birth Bouaké, Ivory Coast Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Playing position Midfielder Club information Current team Manchester City Number 42 Youth career 1996–2001 ASEC Mimosas Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2001–2003 Beveren 70 (3) 2003–2005 Metalurh Donetsk 33 (3) 2005–2006 Olympiacos 26 (3) 2006–2007 Monaco 27 (5) 2007–2010 Barcelona 74 (4) 2010– Manchester City 152 (45) National team‡ 2004– Ivory Coast 95 (19) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:26, 1 January 2015 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 4 February 2015 Gnégnéri Yaya Touré (born 13 May 1983), known as Yaya Touré, is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for English club Manchester City and the Ivory Coast national team. Touré aspired to be a striker during his youth and has played centre back, including for FC Barcelona in the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final. He frequently plays as a box-to-box midfielder for club and country and often switches from defensive and attacking positions throughout matches. Touré began his playing career at Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas, where he made his debut aged 18. He was voted African Footballer of the Year for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. His performances attracted attention from Europe, playing for clubs in various European leagues. Touré played for Beveren in Belgium, Metalurh Donetsk in Ukraine, Olympiacos in Greece, and AS Monaco in France. In 2007, Touré moved to Barcelona, playing over 100 matches for the club and was part of the historic 2009 Barcelona team which won six trophies in one calendar year. Yaya Touré then moved to Premier League club Manchester City in 2010, where he has since scored a number of key goals for the Citizens – most notably the only goals in the 2011 FA Cup semi-final and final. Touré has a distinguished international career with 82 caps for the Ivory Coast, representing the team in their first appearance in a FIFA World Cup, in the 2006 competition, and also played in the 2010 and 2014 tournaments. He is the younger brother of his Ivory Coast teammate Kolo Touré. They also played together at Manchester City for three years, before Kolo was transferred to Liverpool in 2013.