📍 London, UK – In an extraordinary moment of sporting candor that has sent shockwaves through African football, Manchester City legend Yaya Touré made a stunning admission during an emotional appearance on John Mikel Obi’s ObiOne Podcast, declaring his Nigerian counterpart was the rightful winner of the 2013 CAF African Player of the Year award. The Ivorian midfield maestro, who claimed the prestigious honor that year ahead of Mikel and Didier Drogba, offered a remarkable mea culpa as he revisited one of African football’s most contentious award decisions, revealing: “You deserve it, Obi, to be honest… The season was perfect… you were instrumental.” This unprecedented confession comes exactly 11 years after the controversial ceremony in Lagos, where Mikel’s AFCON-winning heroics and stellar Chelsea performances were surprisingly overlooked – a decision that has fueled heated debates among African football purists ever since.
)
Key Points:
- Touré’s heartfelt admission validates Mikel’s career-defining 2013 season
- Suggests CAF may have deceived both players about award outcome
- Reignites transparency concerns in African football honors
- Mikel had jokingly demanded Touré “mail him the award” in 2021 interview
Why It Matters:
The rare display of intergenerational African football solidarity:
✅ Exposes systemic flaws in CAF’s voting processes
✅ Finally credits Mikel’s AFCON-winning leadership
✅ Shows evolving player activism in continent’s football politics
