Yaya Toure Has No Doubts About Who World’s Best Footballer is Right Now

There have been many great African footballers to grace the Premier League over the last two decades, but perhaps none with more influence and force than Yaya Toure. Between 2010 and 2018, the Ivorian became an all-encompassing livewire for Manchester City, exemplifying a player who recognised he could do so much more than just the unsung hero at the base of midfield.

Using his stature and muscle to his advantage, Toure helped the Citizens win two League Cups, an FA Cup, and their first two Premier League crowns, all while appearing over 300 times under Roberto Mancini and Pep Guardiola. The retired midfielder previously played for Barcelona, alongside David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Lionel Messi, and Andres Iniesta.

Toure is the only one who can tell the difference between a decent player, a great player, and a true legend. So, when asked if Mohamed Salah is currently the best African player, he shrugged it off. Instead, he believes Liverpool’s star player is the finest in the world right now.

Toure Names Mo Salah as Best Player in the World

The Ivorian believes nobody else comes close to Salah right now

In an interview with beIN Sports, Toure stated unequivocally that Salah is the finest player in the world right now. “For me, yes,” he started. He continued (see his interview below):

“With no disrespect to other contestants, Salah deserves to be included [in the world’s best conversations]. People talk about consistency, and I’ve seen athletes become overrated after just one season. But this guy has been consistent for many years, and people continue to talk about him in different ways.

💬 | Yaya Touré says Mohamed Salah is the best football player in the world and he’s too disrespected. pic.twitter.com/S7OK81TkCE

— LFC Transfer Room (@LFCTransferRoom) February 23, 2025

Will Mohamed Salah Win the 2025 Ballon d’Or?

The Egyptian King is the current favourite

Liverpool is a runaway goods train in the battle for the Premier League title, and the club is also in the League Cup final and among the favourites to win their seventh Champions League trophy. This makes whoever stands out for the Reds on an individual level a strong candidate for the Ballon d’Or.

So, just to recap, here are ALL the records that Mohamed Salah set vs Manchester City tonight:

◉ Mo Salah is the first player in Premier League history to register 40+ goal involvements in TWO different seasons.

◉ Mo Salah is the first player in Europe’s top five leagues to… pic.twitter.com/sSdASdboOC

— Squawka (@Squawka) February 23, 2025

Virgil van Dijk finished second behind Lionel Messi in 2019. However, it appears that Salah has the potential to surpass his club captain. In 38 appearances across all competitions this season, the Egyptian has 30 goals and 21 assists, has at least one goal and one assist in 11 separate games, and is on track to end the Premier League with a staggering 50 goal contributions.

The 32-year-old seems to be breaking records every week, and at this rate, Liverpool’s talisman might become the first player to win the Ballon d’Or while playing for an English team since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008.

He currently leads the race for football’s most coveted individual award, but with Real Madrid gaining momentum at a critical juncture in the season, he may find himself looking over his shoulder at Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe.