YAYA TOURE WINS CAF AFRICAN FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Manchester City and Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure has been named the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Footballer of the Year for the third consecutive time. It must be recalled that Yaya Toure also won the BBC African Footballer of year award in December 2013. 

He was up against fellow Ivorian Didier Drogba, of Galatasaray, and Nigeria and Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel.
Toure, 30, emulates Abedi Pele and Samuel Eto'o with a hat-trick of wins.

Ghanaian Abedi Pele won three in a row between 1991-93 while Cameroonian Eto'o took the award from 2003-05.

Toure may not have won a major trophy for club and country last year but his class has shone through at both domestic level and for the Elephants of Ivory Coast.
He was honoured at a ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria, on Thursday.
Toure's form also led to him being the only African to be included on the 23-man shortlist for Fifa's World Player of the Year.
His closest rival for the Caf award was Mikel, 26, who helped Nigeria win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa and also featured in Chelsea's Europa League win.
Former Arsenal striker Nwankwo Kanu was the last Nigerian star to win the prestigious award in 1999.
Ex-Chelsea favourite Drogba, 35, was runner-up in 2012 but won the Caf award in 2006 and 2009.
Despite missing out on the flagship CAF Player of the Year and the Player of the Year (Based in Africa), Nigeria returned four prizes, making them to country to have scooped the most honours.Teenager Kelechi Iheanacho went home with the Most Promising Talent of the Year, Stephen Keshi was named Coach of the Year, Golden Eaglets (Nigeria Nu-17 team) as Youth National Team of the Year whilst the Supporters Club won the Fair Play prize.In addition to that, midfielder John Obi Mikel, who missed out on the topmost prize and goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama were named in the Africa Finest XI with Keshi as the coach of the side. 
Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan was presented with the Platinum Award in recognition of his support for football development in Africa’s most populous country