Yaya Toure believes he is not regarded as one of the best players in the world because he is Black

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Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure believes he would get more recognition if he were not African.

The Ivorian, who has won the continent's top individual playing award three years in a row, was on Friday shortlisted for the English Professional Footballers' Association’s Player of the Year prize.

Following City's Capital One Cup triumph in May, Samir Nasri claimed Toure would be considered the best midfielder in the world were he not African.

“I think what Samir was saying was definitely true,” Toure told BBC’s Football Focus. "To be honest, proper recognition has only come from the fans.


“I don't want to be hard and I don't want to be negative, but I want to be honest.

"If you go to any part of Africa now, people will say 'yes, we know him [Lionel Messi]', but when you come to Europe and say 'Yaya Toure' people will say 'who is that?'

"Some will say they know my name but not know my face. But they will know Messi's face.

"I am very proud to be African, I want to defend African people and I want to show to the world that African players can be as good as the Europeans and South Americans," concluded the 30-year-old.