Toure yaya named BBC's African Footballer of the year for 2013.

Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure
has been named the BBC's African
Footballer of the Year for 2013.

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

"Thank you to all the fans around the
world who continue to support me
and who love me a lot," said Toure.

"I'm very proud, I'm very happy, this
award is amazing."

Toure, 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 and
Borussia Dortmund), Victor Moses
(Nigeria and Liverpool, on loan from
Chelsea), John Obi Mikel (Nigeria and
Chelsea), and Jonathan Pitroipa
(Burkina Faso and Rennes).

Toure now has the chance to
complete an awards double having
been selected among a 25-man
shortlist for the African Football
Confederation (CAF) African
Footballer of the Year for 2013.

In contrast to the BBC award, Toure
has won the CAF equivalent in each of
the last two years and winning it for a
third consecutive year would see him
match the achievement of Cameroon
striker Samuel Eto'o, winner in 2003,
2004 and 2005.

Yaya Toure has been an inspiration
for both Ivory Coast and
Manchester City.
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