Sports I am not valued enough because I come from Africa - Yaya Toure

[Chris Maduewesi]

Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure believes that he is not globally accepted as one of the best players in the world because he comes from the African continent.

Toure has been in spectacular form for his club Manchester City scoring 22 goals so far this season,helping the club challenge for laurels.

The 30-year old Ivorian also noted that fellow African players,Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto'o are equally treated the same way because of their African origin.

Speaking in an interview for Football Focus on BBC World News,Toure said that some people still regard Africans as "animals not human beings"

Toure scored a spectacular goal against Sunderland in the finals of the league cup at Wembley,which prompted his teammate Samir Nasri to say that he is undervalued because he is African.

"I think what Samir was saying was definitely true," Toure said.

"To be honest, proper recognition has only come from the fans," Toure said. "I don't want to be hard and I don't want to be negative, but I want to be honest."

"If we play well and we don't have the recognition from the media, we are not going to be where we want to be," he said.

He also pointed to the fact that players like Eto'o and Drogba did great things for their clubs,but are not really getting much credit as they should have.

"Those players are more than legends for me and Africa," said Toure adding that they are underappreciated: "Definitely" he said.

"I am very proud to be African, I want to defend African people and I want to show to the world that African players can be as good as the Europeans and South Americans."

 

[LequteMan]

Yaya is a fantastic player but he's not there yet. Man Chity (I'm a Utd fan) is developing and in a few years he could be in that spot- more certainly if he switches to the red side of Manchester.

 

[Chris Maduewesi]

Yaya is a fantastic player but he's not there yet. Man Chity (I'm a Utd fan) is developing and in a few years he could be in that spot- more certainly if he switches to the red side of Manchester.

Doesn't need to be on the red side to be recognized as one of the best. And at 30,I think he has already paid his dues.

 

[LequteMan]

Doesn't need to be on the red side to be recognized as one of the best. And at 30,I think he has already paid his dues.

You also despise Utd I see.

 

[Chris Maduewesi]

You also despise Utd I see.

Hahahahaha! if only you knew