Touré Makes History as First African Champions League Coach

Former Côte d’Ivoire international Yaya Touré has become the first African coach to guide a team into the UEFA Champions League, leading Slovakian club Slovan Bratislava to qualification. The team secured its spot after a 3-2 aggregate win over Slovenia’s NK Celje, capping a qualifying run that began in July with victories over Georgia’s Saburtalo and Sweden’s Mjällby. Touré, who joined Slovan Bratislava as head coach in June, has already led the team to four league wins. The achievement adds another chapter to Touré’s distinguished career. The 43-year-old is regarded as one of Africa’s greatest players, having won the Champions League and multiple domestic titles with Barcelona before claiming three Premier League titles with Manchester City. He also won four African Footballer of the Year awards and lifted the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations with Côte d’Ivoire.