I won't use the race card because Weah DID win the ballon d'or, so I doubt there is an issue there. But the fact is, Yaya Toure does what not a lot of players do. The amount of work that he does on a pitch and the influence he has is quite amazing. I simply cannot name any midfielders that does what he does.
Xavi, who I feel is overrated, relies mainly on his through-balls. He hardly scores or tackles. Pirlo is the pass-master but again, not known for tackling or scoring many goals from open-play. So those are the two elite midfielders now, and so why doesn't Yaya get mentioned in the same breath as them? Then perhaps the African issue arises.
Weah won it deservedly, but what many would say was how FAST, or STRONG he was. The "African" attribute. But for Yaya, he is not fast and is not particularly strong. He relies far much on technique and guile, which are imperative traits of being central-midfielder. But you know, Africans are these "freaks of nature" who just run fast and are bulls. The powers-that-be can't admit that Yaya is just a great footballer with a complete array of skills.
Fortunately, I have never given a shit about what journalists or older men in suits say. Yaya Toure is one of the best footballers in the world, and that is a cold hard FACT. Anyone that knows and understands football will know this, and will ignore how lesser midfielders are lauded.
DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE.
HH
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