Cote d'Ivoire midfielder making mark in Europe after slow start

A hat-trick of African Footballer of the Year awards has seen Yaya Toure step out of the shadow of some of his more charismatic compatriots to claim a place for himself among the continent's greats.

Toure won the award for a third successive year on Thursday, pipping John Obi Mikel of Nigeria and his national team captain, Didier Drogba, for the continent's top individual award.