page_title: Yaya Touré
section_title: Barcelona
hierarchical_section_title: Yaya Touré / Club career / Barcelona
caption_attribution_description: Español: Touré Yaya disputa un balón con un jugador del Real Valladolid, en un partido de la Liga 2009-2010.
context_page_description: Gnégnéri Yaya Touré is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and last played for Chinese Super League club Qingdao Huanghai.
  Touré aspired to be a striker during his youth and has played centre-back, including for Barcelona in the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final. However, he has spent the majority of his career as a box-to-box midfielder for club and country, where he has been regarded as one of the world's best players in his position. One of the greatest African players of all time, Touré was voted African Footballer of the Year for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
  Touré began his playing career at Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas, where he made his debut at age 18. His performances attracted attention from Europe. He had stints with Beveren, Metalurh Donetsk, Olympiacos and Monaco before moving to Barcelona in 2007. He played over 100 matches for the club and was part of the historic 2009 Barcelona side that won six trophies in a calendar year. In 2010, Touré moved to Premier League club Manchester City, where he scored a number of key goals, most notably the only goals in the 2011 FA Cup semi-final and final.
context_section_description: Touré joined Spanish side Barcelona for €10 million (£6.7 million) and made his official debut for the club on 26 August 2007 during the La Liga season opener against Racing de Santander.
  In the 2007 Joan Gamper Trophy match against Inter Milan, Touré scored his first goal for Barcelona in the 5–0 victory. He scored his first official goal with Barcelona in a La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao on 2 September 2007, a 3–1 win. His first UEFA Champions League match for Barça was against Schalke 04 in the 2007–08 quarter-final, securing a 2–0 aggregate victory and a berth in the semi-final.
  During the early stages of the 2008–09 season, newly appointed manager Pep Guardiola favoured Sergio Busquets in the defensive role of Barcelona's midfield trio. In the 2009 Champions League Final, Touré played at centre-back due to injuries and suspensions of first-choice defenders, despite having only played there twice before for Barcelona. In late June 2010, Barcelona confirmed that Touré would be allowed to leave the club in the summer.
caption: Touré playing for Barcelona in 2010
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