Kolo Toure celebrates brother Yaya’s Champions League coaching breakthrough

Kolo Toure says he is “very pleased” with the progress of his younger brother Yaya Toure after he became the first African coach to lead a team into the UEFA Champions League league phase.

Yaya Toure achieved the landmark with Slovakian club Slovan Bratislava, a milestone his elder brother described as a source of pride for African football.

Speaking exclusively to SABC Sport on the sidelines of the CAF Strategy Conference on Sal Island, Cape Verde, Kolo Toure praised the preparation and discipline that had enabled his brother to reach the highest level of European club football.

“Yeah, that’s an incredible achievement, and I am very pleased. It’s down to his hard work and discipline. He’s been preparing himself very well,” said Toure.

“He qualified for the Champions League, which is a huge success, and I hope that he has a good tournament. We are so proud of what he is doing as an African, and we hope that more African coaches can follow in his steps.”

Yaya Toure’s progress is part of a wider rise in the profile of African coaches, an area Kolo Toure said was developing strongly in Europe and across the continent.

The former Ivory Coast international captain also highlighted Patrick Vieira, his former team-mate at Arsenal and a former captain of France. Vieira has recently taken charge of Senegal, the country of his birth.

According to Toure, Vieira has consistently maintained a strong commitment to the development of African football, making his appointment another significant story for the continent’s coaches.

The former Manchester City assistant coach under Pep Guardiola pointed to the performances of African national teams at the recent 2026 FIFA World Cup as further evidence of that progress.

Nine of the 10 African teams reached the knockout phase, marking the first time that such a number of sides from the continent had achieved that feat at the tournament.

Toure believes African players are also contributing to the continent’s development by bringing back the knowledge and experience gained from competing at the highest level of the game and applying it to football at home.

The 45-year-old was invited to the CAF Strategy Conference as a guest, where he held discussions with several leading coaches and federation presidents.

His meetings also reflected a growing desire to take on a more supportive role in African football. Toure is seeking to use the opportunity provided by the conference to contribute further to the game’s development across the continent.