Yaya Toure, the former Manchester City and Barcelona midfielder, recently revealed the greatest player he played with during his career, and surprisingly, it was not Lionel Messi. Toure, who is now 41 years old, made a name for himself as one of the best midfielders of his generation.
His European football journey began with a season-long stint at Greek side Olympiacos in 2006, followed by a move to French club Monaco, where he continued to impress. It was at Barcelona in 2007 that he truly shone, especially under the guidance of then-manager Pep Guardiola. During his time at Barcelona, Toure was part of the 2009 ‘sextuple’ winning team that achieved remarkable success in various competitions.
While many fans credited Messi for Barcelona’s historic feats during that period, Toure did not name him as the best player he played with. Instead, he chose Andres Iniesta as his greatest teammate. In an interview with GOAL in 2023, Toure expressed his admiration for Iniesta’s unique qualities and the impact he had on his game.
Toure highlighted how playing alongside Iniesta helped him improve his technical skills and vision on the field. He also mentioned that partnering with Xavi and Iniesta in the 2009 Champions League final against Manchester United was a memorable experience for him.
Despite naming Iniesta as his best teammate, Toure did acknowledge the joy he experienced playing alongside Messi at Barcelona. In a heartfelt Instagram message to Messi in 2021, Toure expressed his admiration for the Argentine star’s talent and character.
In a previous interview with BBC Sport in 2019, Toure described Messi as a unique and special character who is focused on his football and a perfect teammate to play with. While Messi may not have been Toure’s top choice for the greatest player he played with, he clearly valued the time they spent together on the pitch.
Toure’s reflections on his career shed light on the impact that exceptional players like Iniesta and Messi had on him both as a player and as a person. His journey from Olympiacos to Barcelona to Manchester City is a testament to his talent, hard work, and the valuable lessons he learned from playing alongside some of the best in the world.