Eto’o: “Yaya Touré Is the Best Player in the World”
Samuel Eto’o has heaped high praise on his former teammate Yaya Touré, declaring the Manchester City midfielder the best footballer in the world after a stellar season with the Premier League champions.
Speaking to Cafonline, the legendary Cameroon striker highlighted the Ivorian’s exceptional form, insisting that Touré’s performances have been world-class and deserving of far more global recognition.
“It’s exceptional! Look at what he’s accomplished with Manchester City. It’s phenomenal. For me, there’s no doubt — Yaya Touré is the best player in the world,” said Eto’o.
Touré has indeed had an outstanding campaign. In 2013, he was crowned African Player of the Year and also won the BBC African Footballer of the Year award. On the pitch, he was instrumental in City’s domestic double — clinching the Premier League and the Carling Cup — and stood out as one of the most complete midfielders in the game, contributing crucial goals and leadership throughout the season.
Eto’o emphasized that if a player like Lionel Messi had produced the same level of performance, the football world would be unanimous in hailing it as brilliance. “The goals he scores with his team are incredible. If Lionel Messi had done it, we would have immediately said he’s the best player on the planet. Yaya Touré scores goals that Lionel Messi, Pelé, or other great players have scored,” he said.
He went on to highlight Touré’s versatility and physical dominance, noting how often the Ivorian starts deep in midfield and powers through to score goals. “He often starts from his own half of the pitch to score goals,” Eto’o added, underlining Touré’s blend of technique, intelligence, and strength.
Touré’s season has been widely applauded across the footballing world, yet Eto’o’s bold declaration positions the Ivorian not just as a star in England or Africa, but as the global best — a title rarely attributed to players outside the traditional attacking roles.
As the World Cup approaches, Touré will be expected to carry that momentum into international duty with Côte d’Ivoire, offering another stage for the world to witness his quality.
