Yaya Toure says his losing player of year brings 'shame to Africa'

Yaya Toure has expressed his disappointment in
failing to win the African Footballer of the Year by
saying the award's criteria bring "shame to
Africa."

The Manchester City midfielder finished second to
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on Thursday night,
ending his run of four straight awards from
the Confederation of African Football.
But Toure felt this year's result should have gone
his way after his Ivory Coast side triumphed at
the African Nations Cup, while Aubameyang's
Gabon were eliminated in the early stages.

"I'm very, very disappointed. It's sad to see Africa
react this way, that they don't think African
achievements are important," he told RFI.
"I think this is what brings shame to Africa,
because to act in that way is indecent. But what
can we do about it? Us Africans, we don't show
that Africa is important in our eyes. We favour
more what's abroad than our own continent. That
is pathetic.
"As I've been told many times, you can't take
care of Africa too much because Africa will be the
first to let you down."

Borussia Dortmund's Aubameyang scored 41
goals and made 11 assists for club and country
during 2015, including 18 strikes in 17
Bundesliga games this season.
"When you win trophies with your country but
you are not able to win something personally, it's
a shame," Toure said after the ceremony.

"Normally, if you win the African Nation's Cup and
you are named among the 23 best players in the
world, you think you will win this award.

"But I don't want to complain. I congratulate
Aubameyang. He is a fantastic player and it is not
his fault that this has happened."
Toure was also particularly disappointed about
the failure to win that fifth title, which would have
taken him one clear of Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o,
whose record of four wins he matched last time
out.

"Yes, it is very disappointing. To be a player who
wants to achieve a lot of things, when you win a
lot of big trophies you think you can win personal
trophies.

"But this is sport and sometimes these things
happen."

The outspoken Toure has long campaigned for
more recognition of African football. In October,
he also criticised the Ballon d'Or for again making
him the only African player among 23 nominees
shortlisted for FIFA's top individual award.

Toure also compared Thursday's vote, conducted
by the directors of the CAF national federations,
to the ongoing FIFA scandals.

"Even FIFA, with all its history of corruption,
wouldn't do that," he said..