Yaya Toure has won the 2013 BBC African Footballer of the Year award.

The Ivory Coast and Manchester City midfielder, who had had been nominated in each of the past four years, beat Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Victor Moses, John Mikel Obi and Jonathan Pitroipa to this year's crown.

The 30-year-old told BBC Sport: "I think I've been nominated for five years in a row and finally winning the award is amazing.
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“I'm very happy as it is the fans who have given it to me - so I'm very appreciative”

Yaya Toure

"It's a fantastic achievement because I don't think there has ever been as many quality African players in top level international football as there are now: Aubameyang, Pitroipa, Mikel, Moses, Salomon Kalou, Gervinho... we have fantastic players.

"I also think African football is improving and that means a lot to us. And as an African, I'm very happy."

The shortlist for the award was drawn up by 44 football experts across Africa, who based their choices on players' skill, technical ability, teamwork, consistency and fair play.

A record number of fans then voted for their favourite either online or by text message.

And those fans have considered Toure to be the standout African player over the past year, in recognition of the Ivorian's displays of power, pace, creativity and goals.

Toure said: "Thank you to all the fans around the world who continue to support me. It shows how much fans love you and appreciate your job as well.

"It's something special because it's not the vote of the manager or the club or the captain of the national team, it's just the fans.

"When you have a lot of fans behind you, it's always amazing. And I'm very happy as it is the fans who have given it to me - so I'm very appreciative."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25154008

yea! just heard on bbc

**Confirm**.... Yaya my man!


Hit "LIKE" if you think he deserves it!...

Yesss!

we did it one more to go

www.nairaland.com/attachments/1446583_1482766_10151932795051107_877592501_n_jpg75c0958570a2484ab760045b77607eb8

Hit LIKE if you think Mikel deserved it.

Congratulations 2 him...bt i heard the winner is selected by d amount of votes he had, not potentials or records...smh

Congrats Yaya bought I thought a Nigerian will be that award.. Its all good though

Congratulations!

some Nigerians go con day shout Mikel. Mikel ko Mikel ni.

Thank God my vote count........!


Go Yaya,go win the Africa best player! U 2 deserve am

He deservs it! Congrats bro!

toluxa1: Hit LIKE if you think Mikel deserved it.

mikel deserve nutin,how many assist,how many goals,how many fair play,how consistent?

.

thegoodjoehunt:

Mikel was instrumental in Nigeria's Afcon success and Chelsea's Europa success. Mikel deserves it.

sentiment!!! How many assist or goals e do 4 nations cup ? or how many goals or assist he do 4 d Europa cup

thegoodjoehunt:

What about how impressive Mikel was at the nations cup?

Mikel impressive? That dude didn't impress me at all,the way he plays for chelsea is far different from d way he plays for Naija! Onazi did well!!!

Congrats bro,you earned it,cos you deserved it.

bastien: Mikel impressive? That dude didn't impress me at all,the way he plays for chelsea is far different from d way he plays for Naija! Onazi did well!!!

.

Maybe you didn't know that Mikel was actually the best player at the Nations cup but because CAF tried robbing Burkina Faso to let Ghana through, Pitropa was given the best player.

Against Norwich, Ameobi didn't score a goal but his coach and Norwich coach singled out Ameobi as the star performer.

thank God! some idiotss were clamoring for the one-hit wonder Mba.. lol

Congrats bro. Though I think Mikel deserved it.

toluxa1: Hit LIKE if you think Mikel deserved it.

campaign after election

Congratz to him although he is the least deserving of the title IMO because he won no trophy in the football year for either club or country, but then as he rightly pointed out, fans gave him the award. I hope Mikel clinches the CAF player of the year award.

thegoodjoehunt:

Mikel was instrumental in Nigeria's Afcon success and Chelsea's Europa success. Mikel deserves it.

a sub standard tournament, why doesn't mikel perform well outside africa?

mikel deserved it

BBC always misbehaving, a Nigerian clearly deserved this award.

Anyway irrelevant, lets see who CAF picks

thegoodjoehunt:

Yet Yaya and his Ivorians found it difficult.

no logic at all.. messi and argentina didnt play well in SA10 and yet he was named player of the year.. individual performances matter not just trophies won..