Yaya Toure Joins Saudi National Team as Assistant Coach Under Roberto Mancini

 Yaya Toure Joins Saudi National Team as Assistant Coach Under Roberto Mancini

Former Ivorian footballer Yaya Toure puts the trophy on stage during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 official draw at Parc des Expositions in Abidjan, southeastern Ivory Coast, on October 12, 2023.(Image-Getty)

According to an announcement by the Saudi football federation on Friday, Yaya Toure has been appointed as the assistant coach for Saudi Arabia's national team, where he will be collaborating with manager Roberto Mancini. This appointment reunites Toure with Mancini, under whom he previously played during his time at Premier League club Manchester City.

A former captain of the Ivory Coast national team, Toure, now 40 years old, embarked on his coaching journey four years ago, accumulating experience with various clubs and teams such as Ukraine's Donetsk Olympic, Russia's Grozny, Belgium's Standard Liege, and the Under-16 team at England's Tottenham Hotspur.

With a distinguished career that spans over a hundred international appearances and stints at prominent clubs including Manchester City, AS Monaco, and Barcelona, Toure brings a wealth of experience to his new role. 

Under the management of former Italy coach Mancini, Saudi Arabia has encountered setbacks, including recent losses to Costa Rica (3-1) and South Korea (1-0) since Mancini assumed the managerial position in August. The addition of Toure to the coaching staff could potentially offer a fresh perspective and contribute to the team's development as they strive for improved performance in future matches.