Manchester City legend Yaya Touré has revealed that Nigerian midfield icon John Obi Mikel truly deserved to win the African Player of the Year award in 2013.
Speaking on the Obi One Podcast on Thursday, the Ivorian great reflected on that year, highlighting Mikel’s pivotal role in Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League campaign and Nigeria’s victorious run at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Despite Mikel’s outstanding performances, it was Touré who claimed the award for the third year in a row.
“You deserved it, Obi, to be honest,” Touré said during the podcast. “You had a fantastic season—Nigeria won the AFCON, and you were absolutely key to that success.”
He added: “The thing is, I wasn’t told anything by CAF at the time. I honestly believed Obi deserved it. If either of us had won, it would’ve made sense. But there was also the matter of showing up to the ceremony—if we don’t go, who’s going to support the event?”