Yaya Touré Named Golden Lion 2014, Repeats as Africa’s Best Player
Ivorian midfield maestro Yaya Touré has added another prestigious accolade to his glittering career, having been named “Golden Lion 2014” by Al-Mountakhab, the respected Moroccan bi-weekly sports publication. This individual honour, awarded annually to the best African footballer, sees Touré become a back-to-back recipient, following his win in 2013.
The Manchester City star edged out fierce competition from Algerian playmaker Yacine Brahimi, finishing with 200 votes against Brahimi’s 190. Moroccan defender Mehdi Benatia, currently at Bayern Munich, claimed third place with 127 votes.
The Golden Lion is decided through a poll conducted among 45 African and international sports media outlets, including specialist journalists from across the continent and abroad. The award highlights consistent excellence at both club and international level, and in 2014, Touré’s influence in midfield for club and country was once again undeniable.
Touré’s commanding performances for Manchester City, combined with his leadership role in the Ivorian national team, cemented his status as Africa’s leading footballer — not just for this year, but arguably for an era.
The award arrives just days ahead of the CAF African Player of the Year announcement, scheduled for January 8 in Lagos, where Touré is a leading contender to win a record-breaking fourth consecutive African Ballon d’Or. He is shortlisted alongside Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Golden Lion 2014 – Final Rankings
Yaya Touré (Manchester City, England) – 200 points
Yacine Brahimi (FC Porto, Portugal) – 190
Mehdi Benatia (Bayern Munich, Germany) – 127
Vincent Enyeama (Lille, France) – 46
Sofiane Feghouli (Valencia, Spain) – 32
Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain, UAE) – 28
Gervinho (AS Roma, Italy) – 22
Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia) – 19
Fakhreddine Ben Youssef (CS Sfaxien, Tunisia) – 16
Stéphane Mbia (Sevilla FC, Spain) – 8
Golden Lion Honours List:
2004: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
2005–2007: Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)
2008: Mohamed Aboutrika (Egypt)
2009–2010: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
2011: Seydou Keita (Mali)
2012: Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)
2013: Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast)
2014: Yaya Touré (Ivory Coast)
If Touré is crowned African Footballer of the Year once again on January 8, he will set an unprecedented milestone, further solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest African players of all time.
