Yaya: I’ve won titles, made money, but I’m not happy

Manchester City midfielder, Yaya Toure, is not a happy man despite his bulging bank balance and trophy cabinet.

The 32-year-old has launched a stinging attack on the media in England and Ivory Coast, insisting that he has been treated unfairly for his performances with club and country, claiming: “I have won titles, lots of money, but I am not happy.”

Toure told French paper L’Equipe on Monday that his goalscoring record deserves more praise and that he is deeply hurt and sickened by “lots of bitter people who tried to dirty my name”.

The former Barcelona player has scored once this season in 11 games for City, who are top of the Barclays Premier League after nine games.

“Journalists have spoken about a new departure for me,” Toure said.

“But what new departure? I have just come out of a season with City where we finished second in the English league, which is the hardest in the world.

“I scored 26 goals (in 2013/14 season), 20 in the Premier League, and nobody mentioned it. You understand a bit my disgust. Here, when it is bad, they stress it; when it’s good, they leave that in the dungeon. They have always used their little methods to annoy and alienate me.”

He also expressed mixed feelings when recalling his country’s triumph at the last Africa Cup of Nations.

“That was my biggest desire, my most important project, it happened, finally, after losing two finals,” he said.

“I lifted the trophy as the captain of Les Éléphants. Exceptional, unforgettable. I did my job, won Afcon, and subtly, the most unloved individual in the Ivory Coast became the best-loved for a little while.

“They said that I fought with Didier [Drogba], with Zokora, and even Kolo, my own brother … and they denigrated me, even through songs. Politicians insulted me. That hurts, that hurts a lot. The national team, it no longer has anything to do with football.”

In May 2014, his agent Dimitri Seluk said that Toure was considering leaving City because he was “treated with disrespect” after the club failed to address a “number of things that have left Yaya feeling bitterly upset”, which included Toure feeling underappreciated on his birthday.

“People thought that I was going to leave because of all that, but they forget that I am an honest person who keeps his word,” Toure said.

“Even if there were lots of bitter people who tried to dirty my name.

“When I arrived at City, in 2010, I heard a lot of people say, here, that I was going to kill football! The journalists were talking about my salary and saying that it was a disgrace. They asked what I, Yaya Toure, was going to change at City. And so, did you see what happened next? We won nearly everything. In fact, it is recognition that I do not have that hurts me. It is a bit sickening.

“I do not want my two sons in football. I do not want them to have to go through everything that I have endured. It has hurt me. Everyone thinks I am happy: I have won titles, lots of money, but, no, I am not happy.”