Soccer
Drogba: Yaya deserved crown
2012-12-22 08:39
Didier Drogba (Gallo Images)
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Accra - Highly tipped by pundits to clinch the 2012 African Footballer of the Year award, Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba was held off by his compatriot Yaya Toure on Thursday December 20 in Accra, Ghana, where the awards gala took place.
Speaking to the Supersport website, the former Chelsea talisman congratulated the Manchester City midfield powerhouse, calling him a great player, but not without evincing a tinge of disappointment.
“I’m a bit disappointed but have to acknowledge the fact that Yaya deserves his crown,” Drogba said.
“You can’t be too disappointed if you are defeated by a player like Yaya. He has been very regular at Etihad Stadium and not this year alone. It has been two years now he’s doing great things with his club.
“He deserves the award and I can confess that,” added the Shanghai Shenhua striker, who has won the accolade twice in 2006 and 2009.
A poll conducted on Friday by Ivory Coast’s most popular website Abidjan.net showed more than 70% of participants saying Drogba merited the award over Yaya Toure.