₦airaland Forum

Manchester City legend Yaya Toure has acknowledged that former Super Eagles midfielder John Mikel Obi should have been named Africa’s best player in 2013.

Mikel was considered the favorite to clinch the CAF African Player of the Year award that year, following an impressive season where he played a pivotal role in Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League triumph and helped Nigeria lift the Africa Cup of Nations.

Despite his outstanding performances, the award went to Toure, who claimed the title for the third year running.

Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, the former Ivory Coast captain admitted Mikel was the more deserving candidate.

“You deserved it, Obi, to be honest, because in the league, the season was perfect. Nigeria won the AFCON, and you were instrumental in this period,” Toure said.

Toure went on to say he had no prior knowledge from CAF that he would win the award and revealed he would have been just as pleased had Mikel received the honour.

“The thing is, I was told nothing [by CAF] and I said Obi deserved it at the time. If it were me or him [Obi Mikel], it would have been fine, but the big question was me attending the ceremony. If we don’t go there, who’s going to support?

He also used the moment to call for greater unity among Africans in supporting their own events and achievements.

“We’ve seen the Europeans supporting their own cause, their own events, and their own things. We Africans want to do that, but we have to make sure we unite and we go together.”

Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/04/mikel-obi-deserved-2013-african-best-player-award-yaya-toure-admits/

Around this same time, Tinubu was still begging Buhari to save him from political obscurity.

This life ehn

Stop making football boring, awards in football shouldn't be just about winning trophies. U must play key roles in the team.
I can't recollect just a match where Obi won a Man of the Match award all in his years of playing for Chelsea..
That year 2013, it should have been Enyeama.

Ok na

Great100000:
Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/04/mikel-obi-deserved-2013-african-best-player-award-yaya-toure-admits/

Hmm... It dawn on them, the fact is that he did not actually win the award. Nothing has changed nah

same way Baba Hayatou whatever dey kal am robbed OKOCHA

Mikel was phenomenal in the champion league triumph of Bayern.

Dey play, something you and CAF don arrange and you're now pretending.

Mtchew ,spilt milk

In the next ten years yakubu the INEC chairman will admit that Peter Obi truly won the 2023 presidential election.

What an irony of life.

Okay

Rest

Westin concern Tinubu with obi

Issa Hayatou and Michel Platini, Yaya Toure dey take style sey una corrupt

Why saying it now? Nonsense!

Wizardslayer:
In the next ten years yakubu the INEC chairman will admit that Peter Obi truly won the 2023 presidential election.

What an irony of life.

That trauma of losing will continue to hunt you and we'll forever be here to taunt you as your Obi Lord continues to labor in vain.

That’s how Tinubu will confess that Obi and Atiku both won the 2023 elections

Only trying to make obi not to feel cheated. Anyways. Nah so football be.

Medicine after death

Mikel Obi is wack and below average.

Kiss the truth

Wizardslayer:
In the next ten years yakubu the INEC chairman will admit that Peter Obi truly won the 2023 presidential election.

What an irony of life.

Tinubu will confess it himself; he can never get away with that brazen robbery of another man's mandate and go scold free.


It is part of the reasons Nigeria is in shambles under his corrupt, directionless leadership.


And he thinks he can mask it with nepotism and making sectional and lopsided appointments to deceive his people into seeing him as their political Messiah, time will tell

Ojoro everywhere in the world. Even here on nairaland, moderators and bot dey do ojoro with bans

heykims:
Stop making football boring, awards in football shouldn't be just about winning trophies. U must play key roles in the team.
I can't recollect just a match where Obi won a Man of the Match award all in his years of playing for Chelsea..
That year 2013, it should have been Enyeama.

Mikel played key roles

dey there dey waste ur time/life.In your dream, the 3RD go leapfrog the 2ND abi .Kip looking for yo balls

Wizardslayer:
In the next ten years yakubu the INEC chairman will admit that Peter Obi truly won the 2023 presidential election.

What an irony of life.

And they gave it to you and you collected it?
Anumpuma

Oya, let's rewind and give it to him..

Why you no talk that time??

Wizardslayer:
In the next ten years yakubu the INEC chairman will admit that Peter Obi truly won the 2023 presidential election.

What an irony of life.

Allow obi rest, he never won any election

So what happened?