Yaya Toure wins BBC African Footballer of the Year award

Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure was named the BBC's African Footballer of the Year for 2013 on Monday.

It was the fifth straight year the Manchester City star had made the shortlist but the first time he’d taken the award.

Yaya Toure

“Thank you to all the fans around the world who continue to support me and who love me a lot,” said Toure in a BBC statement. “I’m very proud, I’m very happy, this award is amazing.

“It’s the fifth time in a row (being nominated) and this time is very special.”u00a0Toure, who has scored 13 goals for club and country this year, was the choice of the BBC’s global audience.

He held off competition from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Victor Moses (Nigeria), John Obi Mikel (Nigeria), and Jonathan Pitroipa (Burkina Faso).

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