Former Ivory Coast star, Yaya Toure has come out to criticise Africa players who chose to play for foreign countries where they are raised declaring that the ‘African gods are not happy with them’.
Toure who won four consecutive Africa Player of Year award in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 also said that players who chose to play for countries of their adoption other than their country of origin in Africa have misfortunes and ill-lucks following them.
“The other day I had a discussion with other African football Legends about why African Players (who) choose to represent Foreign countries instead of their own.
“I think although they don’t choose their own nations, it brings bad luck to some of them. Look at Dembele, Ansu Fati, Sane, Jerome Boateng, Balotelli etc, most of them they suffer with long term injuries, some gets their contracts terminated and end up going to lower division from playing for the biggest teams in Europe.
“I think the gods in their original countries aren’t happy. No one is satisfied with Pogba no matter how much he tries, that’s another sign of bad luck,” he started.
While accepting that some of them have been successful in playing for their country of adoption, the former Barcelona star noted that more often than not, they are not appreciated.
The former Manchester City midfielder added that despite their efforts in helping their adopted countries achieve greatness, in the event of bad luck to the team, they are made scapegoats.
He specifically mentioned Italian striker, Mario Baloteli who chose Italy over Ghana and despite his heroics in EURO 2012, he was heavily criticised after the team lost to Spain in the final.
“Some are successful with their adopted national teams and clubs but yet they find problems knocking on their doors, like the recent news about Boateng ex Girlfriend.
“Umtiti has also suffered a lot and now he finds himself on the sidelines. Your Rudiger, you name them. Am not manipulating anyone, if they want to keep overlooking their own countries it’s up to them.
“What I know is that they don’t last long and those countries are only happy when they deliver once things gets bad, they are the first to be sidelined ask Mario Balotelli.
“He was a darling in Euro2012 taking Italy in Euro Final that year, unfortunately they lost heavily to Spain and they blamed Mario Balotelli, all his efforts to helped Italy to reach the Final fell on ungrateful hands.
“It’s very painful but we all have freedom of choice. This is just my opinion, not everyone opinion.”
The former Manchester City and Barcelona midfielder is the current assistant coach of Ukrainian Premier League club Olimpik Donetsk after his appointment was confirmed early last month.
