Vincent Enyeama makes CAF Player of the Year shortlist

Nigeria/Lille skipper, Vincent Enyeama Ivory Coast and Manchester City striker, Yaya Toure, and Gabon midfielder Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have made CAF 2014 African Player of the Year award shortlist.

A statement on the CAF official website reads. “The trio made the cut following votes from head coaches or technical directors of the National Associations affiliated with CAF. Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan and Ahmed Musa of Nigeria failed to make the final list.” 

The 2014 Glo-CAF awards will be held on 8th January, 2015 in Lagos, Nigeria.


Photos: Manchester United and Manchester City players spread Christmas cheer at children's hospital.

This ‎festive season, few Manchester City and Manchester United players took out time to spread festive cheer with sick children at the Manchester Children’s Hospital.


They arrived the hospital with mascots, presented them with gifts, played table football, signed autographs and took pictures with them.

Players from the two teams include;  Robin van Persie, Angel Di Maria, Juan Mata, Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure, Bacary Sagna, Scott Sinclair,  Ander Herrera, Phil Jones, David de Gea and Marcos Rojo.

Zinedine Zidane unveils his current world XI

No Rooney, not even Chelsea sensation, Eden Hazard has made ex France international, Zinedine Zidane’s current world XI list. The only premier league player found on his fantasy team list is Manchester City’s Yaya Toure. Well, his choices.

It shouldn’t shock you that most of the players on the list are from Real Madrid. On the list. include Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Yaya Toure, Iker Casillas Marcelo, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Luka Modric, Karim Benzema,  Dani Alves Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
His seven first choice substitutes:  Manuel Neuer, Phillip Lahm, Raphael Varane, Andres Iniesta, Paul Pogba, Franck Ribery and Sergio Aguero.‎

We've Got Your Back: Idris Elba, Yaya Toure, Patrick Vieira others launch anti-ebola campaign.

Top British actor Idris Elba and some international football stars have launched a public awareness campaign aimed at preventing the spread of Ebola in West Africa. 
The campaign which is tagged, “Africa United” is supported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foundation and driven creatively by actor Idris Elba. It is designed to recognize the vital role of frontline healthcare workers, as well as to provide critical education and resources for the people of West Africa. Educational messages will be delivered on local and national radio and TV, billboards and by SMS to audiences in Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and neighboring countries.
In a new TV spot titled “We’ve Got Your Back,” (Africa United: We’ve Got Your Back ft. Idris Elba, Yaya Touré, Patrick Vieira & More) Elba and a group of football players committed to the fight against Ebola in West Africa, including Yaya Touré, Carlton Cole, Kei Kamara, Patrick Vieira, Fabrice Muamba and Andros Townsend, are voicing their solidarity with the healthcare workers who are risking their lives every day to fight Ebola.
In the video, the players acknowledge that, although fans regard them as heroes, healthcare workers tackling Ebola are the true heroes. Each player wears the name of a healthcare worker on his back as a symbol of respect for “the world’s most important team.”
For me the battle against Ebola is a personal one. To see those amazing countries in West Africa where my father grew up and my parents married being ravaged by this disease is painful and horrific,” said Idris Elba. 
He continued, “Imagine having to sit down and tell your family that you were going to fight this disease. That conversation is happening across West Africa and around the world every day. I am in awe of the bravery of these health workers, who put their lives at risk day in and out to stop the spread of this terrible disease. My hope is that, in some small way, through the development of these PSAs and the creation of the Africa United campaign, we can ensure that these workers get the support they need and that health messages are delivered to people on the ground to help them in their fight. #wevegotyourback. We will support you.”
In another campaign video titled “West Africa vs. Ebola,” (Africa United: West Africa vs. Ebola ft. Idris Elba) Elba stars as a soccer coach giving a rousing and educational team talk to West Africa in preparation for its “life or death” game against Ebola. Elba explains the symptoms of Ebola and tactics for how to beat the virus, which includes spreading the word and working as a team.
 I wanted to support this campaign for so many reasons. I could not sit back without doing something to help fight Ebola. It is important we don’t treat this as something we just discuss with work colleagues or simply follow on the news for updates – instead our focus should be to do something,” said Yaya Touré, Ivorian professional football (soccer) player. 
I also wanted to get involved with this campaign as it pays tribute to the many, many African heroes who are in the villages, towns and cities using their skills, resourcefulness and intelligence to battle Ebola. Those people on the front line are often forgotten. African mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters are doing everything they can to fight Ebola – we have to support them. #WeveGotYourBack.” He added.‎
The video spots and other multimedia educational materials—including video and radio messages, billboards and posters—will be available on the campaign website, www.WeAreAfricaUnited.org, in English, French, Krio and additional local languages. The educational materials are designed to be adapted and distributed by Africa United partners such as ministries of health, health clinics, government and non-governmental organizations, media and sports organizations. 
These include the CDC Foundation and current partners Africa 24, SuperSport, ONE, UNICEF and Voice of America. CDC staff working in the affected countries contributed to the development and distribution of the health messages, and Africa United will continue to develop and provide messages to CDC and partners in real time based on changing needs in country.
The 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history, infecting nearly 16,000 people with more than 5,600 deaths to date. While the spread of Ebola is a threat to people, health systems and economies around the globe, West African communities in particular are being crippled by the disease as a result of already-strained healthcare systems, mistrust of healthcare workers and fear and stigmatization of those infected.
 ‎Twitter: @WeAre_AU
Facebook: We Are Africa United
YouTube: We Are Africa United
Hashtags: #WeAreAfricaUnited  &#WeveGotYourBack‎

100th Ivory Coast Cap: Yaya Toure gets framed jersey.

Manchester City midfielder and 2014 CAF African footballer of the year nominee, Yaya Toure who won his 100th cap for the Ivorian national team yesterday has received a framed shirt to celebrate the feat. Posing with the former Barcelona player in the picture are his team mates; Salomon Kalou and  Tallo Gadji

Manchester City & Ivory Coast star, Yaya Touré Joins Nissan As New Global Ambassador

Nissan is proud to announce Yaya Touré, three-time African Footballer of the Year

and UEFA Champions League winner, as its newest global ambassador. The
Manchester City and Ivory Coast midfielder has agreed to a deal which will see him work alongside Nissan’s global UEFA Champions League and Orange Africa Cup of Nations 2015 partnerships.

Yaya joins Nissan’s star-studded team of UEFA Champions League ambassadors,
which includes the recently announced Barcelona and Spain midfielder, Andrés
Iniesta and PSG and Brazil defender, Thiago Silva. The UEFA Champions League ambassadors will work with the company as part of the Engineers of
Excitement program, which aims to enhance the experience of football fans
through a range of activities including the exclusive Goal of the Week competition. Touré will also star in a series of new television and print
advertisements for the UEFA Champions League due to premiere in February
2015.

Yaya Toure said, “I’m proud to be partnering with Nissan across its UEFA
Champions League and Orange Africa Cup of Nations 2015 sponsorships. I have
been fortunate enough to win lots of trophies in my career, but the Orange
Africa Cup of Nations has always been my target as an African, so I am
really looking forward to it and to working with Nissan to help bring the
excitement around both of these fantastic tournaments to fans around Africa and the rest of the world.”
As the face of Nissan’s advertising campaign in Africa, Yaya Touré will play
a key role around Nissan’s Orange Africa Cup of Nations 2015 sponsorship, further connecting football fans with the brand and helping increase excitement around its innovative range of products.

“Nissan is delighted that Yaya Touré has joined our team as a global ambassador,” said Roel de-Vries, Corporate Vice President, Global Head of Marketing, Communications and Brand – Nissan. “As one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, Yaya Touré is the perfect ambassador for our brand as he possesses great all round skills combining pace, power and high
technical ability – features Nissan incorporates into its vehicles.”

As well as being named African Footballer of the Year on three occasions,
Yaya Touré has also won the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona and five league titles across four countries including England and Spain. With over
80 caps for Ivory Coast, Yaya Touré was recently named captain of the national team and will lead his country in qualification to reach his sixth Orange Africa Cup of Nations 2015 in January.

Takashi Hata, Senior Vice President, Africa, Middle East and India – Nissan
added, “As a three-time African Footballer of the Year, Yaya Touré is an
icon to millions of people across the continent. As Nissan looks to further
increase its market presence in the region, our partnership with Yaya Touré
will help bring Nissan closer to the fans around Africa’s biggest football
tournament and further strengthen our brand in a region to which we have
been committed for over four decades.”

Nissan is the official global automotive sponsor of the UEFA Super Cup and
UEFA Champions League, with a four season deal that will cover the period
2014/2015 to 2017/2018. Nissan is the official global automotive supplier to
the Orange Africa Cup of Nations 2015. The tournament is now in its 30th
year and kicks off in Morocco on January 17, 2015.

Photo: Yaya and Kolo Touré at their brother's funeral

The remains of Ibrahim Touré who passed on on June 19 in Manchester after a battle with cancer was committed to mother earth July 4 in the Williamsville cemetery, Abidjan. Present were the entire Touré family including his brothers Yaya and Kolo, friends and representatives of the Ivorian football community.

Top 10 highest paid World Cup players+ their endorsement deals

And just in almost every football list. Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo lead the pack.

Below are top 10 highest paid World Cup stars and their endorsement deals.

(1) Lionel Messi – £292,000 (After Tax)- Endorsement deals- EA Sports, Adidas, Turkish Arilines, Gillette, Pepsi

(2) Ronaldo – £288,000 (after Tax)-Endorsement deals- Konami, Nike, Coca Cola, Castrol, herbalife, KFC, Armani, Emirates

(3) Wayne Rooney – £300,000 – Endorsement deals- Harper Collins, Nike, EA Sports, Coca-Cola

(4) Robin Van Persie – £250,000- Endorsement deals-  Adidas, BT Sport, Pepsi

(5) Thiago Silva – £250,000 – Endorsement deal- Nike

(6) Yaya Toure – £240,000 – Endorsement deals – Puma, Ford

(7) Sergio Aguero – £230,000 – Endorsement deals- Puma, Pepsi

(8) Neymar – £230,000 – Endorsement deals – Nike, Volkswagon, Coca Cola

(9) Luis Suarez – £220,000 – Endorsement deal – Adidas

(10) David Silva – £200,000 – Endorsement deal – Nike

Manchester City prevented me from seeing my dying brother- Yaya Toure

There’s no way one can ever fully express the pain of losing a loved one. Manchester City midfielder, Yaya Toure who is still grieving over the loss of his younger brother, Ibrahim Toure Yaya Toure has claimed that Manchester City denied him time to see his dying brother.
The Ivory Coast international wrote in a column in France Football magazine. “At the end of the season, I wanted to stay four or five days with my brother before flying to prepare the World Cup with Ivory Coast but City did not wish to grant me those few days. I went to celebrate the title in Abu Dhabi while my brother was dying in his bed. Fortunately, Kolo was at his bedside. Afterwards, I regretted that I had not insisted. However, City executives knew that I was suffering.”
Ibrahim Toure died of cancer in Manchester last Thursday. He was aged 28. At the time of his death, none of his brothers were with him, they were in Brazil for the FIFA World Cup. Meanwhile, Manchester City has refused to make comments on his remarks.

Sad! Yaya and Kolo Toure lose brother

very devastating news! Ibrahim Toure; (pictured above) the younger brother to Ivory Coast players, the younger brother to Yaya and Kolo Toure, has passed on. He died yesterday 19th June in Manchester, United Kingdom. The Lebanese team Al-Safa SC player was aged 28.

A statement from the Ivorian FA reads, “The football Ivory Coast federation president (FIF) and the Executive Comitee announced to the entire family of Ivorian football the death of Toure Oyala Ibrahim, the younger brother of Toure Kolo Abib and Toure Yaya Gnegneri, which happened on the 19th of June in Manchester (England).

“In such a sad situation, the players from the Ivory Coast national team, and the entire delegation here in Brazil, show their support to the Toure brothers and their whole family. The president of Football Ivory Coast Federation and the Executive Comitee ask Ivorians for their prayers.”

May his soul find repose and may God comfort the ones he left behind.

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