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Ex-Barcelona star Yaya Toure doesn’t believe Lionel Messi is the best player he ever played with

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Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure did not name Lionel Messi as the best player he played with during his career. Photos: Playmaker/Manuel Queimadelos Alonso. Source: UGC
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  • Yaya Toure raised eyebrows by stating that Lionel Mess was not his pick for the best player he had played alongside during his career
  • Given Toure’s time at Barcelona, where he shared the pitch with Messi, fans naturally assumed that the Argentine would top Toure’s list
  • However, despite Messi’s prolific goal-scoring and game-changing performances, Toure’s choice for his greatest teammate came as an unexpected twist

Former Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure surprised fans by not naming Lionel Messi as the best player he played alongside in his career.

Toure’s big break came at Barcelona in 2007, and he truly hit his stride in 2008 under then-manager Pep Guardiola.

In his three years with Barcelona, Toure was part of the iconic 2009 team that achieved a historic ‘sextuple,’ claiming La Liga, the Champions League, Copa del Rey, the Spanish Super Cup, the European Super Cup, and the Club World Cup.

This unprecedented success solidified the squad’s place in football history.

The trophy-laden campaign saw many world-class players, yet most fans attributed the historic achievement largely to Messi, who scored 47 goals that calendar year.

However, even Messi’s contributions weren’t enough for Toure to name him as the best player he played alongside.

Despite also sharing the pitch with stars like David Silva and Sergio Aguero at Manchester City, neither of them made Toure’s list when he revealed his ‘greatest’ teammate.

“[Lionel] Messi was top, [Andres] Iniesta was top, Xavi was great, but I will say Iniesta,” he told Arsenal Declan Rice when speaking to GOAL in 2023 via Sportbible.

“He had something different. Playing with him, wow! It was something else.”

“I learned more about technical skills and seeing things,” Toure added.

Messi scores hat trick for Inter Miami

Earlier, Ekwutosblog reported that Inter Miami made Major League Soccer history with a 6–2 victory over New England Revolution on the final day of the regular season, highlighted by a hat trick from Lionel Messi.

Under the guidance of Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, Miami set a new record for the most points in a single MLS season, finishing with 74 points.

They surpassed the previous record of 73 points held by New England from the 2021 season.

Messi ‘jabs’ Ronaldo

In an earlier report by Ekwutosblog , Messi appeared to make a subtle remark about his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo.

After netting a hat-trick and providing two assists in Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers, Messi’s international goal tally rose to 112, placing him second to Ronaldo.

However, during a post-match interview, Messi downplayed the importance of the numbers, stating that he wasn’t focused on the statistics.

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Mohamed Salah Hints At Liverpool Exit Amid Uncertain Contract Future

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Mohamed Salah Hints At Liverpool Exit Amid Uncertain Contract Future
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Mohamed Salah Hints At Liverpool Exit Amid Uncertain Contract Future

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has sparked fresh speculation over his future at the club with a cryptic social media message, hinting at a possible departure.

The Egyptian star, who scored the decisive goal in Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Brighton on Saturday, took to X (formerly Twitter) to reflect on his connection with the club and Anfield fans.

“Top of the table is where this club belongs. Nothing less. All teams win matches, but there’s only one champion in the end. That’s what we want,” Salah posted.

He added, “Thank you for your support last night. No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like.”

With his contract set to expire at the end of this season, the 32-year-old’s future remains uncertain.

Salah, who is currently on a reported £350,000-per-week deal, will be able to negotiate with clubs outside England starting in January if no extension is agreed upon.

Despite the concerns of fans, Liverpool manager Arne Slot has downplayed the contract situation, choosing instead to focus on the strong form of Salah and his teammates, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contracts also expire this season.

As Liverpool pursues its first Premier League title since 2020, Salah’s future will remain a closely watched storyline among fans eager to see the Egyptian icon stay at Anfield.

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Ranked: 5 players in Europe who have outscored Cristiano Ronaldo in 2024

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Ranked: 5 players in Europe who have outscored Cristiano Ronaldo in 2024

 

  • Cristiano Ronaldo has been in fine goalscoring form since joining Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr in 2023
  • Ronaldo is waiting for his first official trophy with the club, with rivals Al-Hilal dominating since his arrival
  • Despite his goalscoring exploits, five strikers playing in European leagues have outscored him in 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best goalscorers that football has ever seen, lighting up every club he has played for with goals from Madeira to Manchester to Madrid and beyond.

In the final years of his career, he is the pacesetter in the lucrative Saudi Pro League and has not stopped scoring, even though he has yet to taste a major trophy with Al-Nassr.

According to Planet Football, only five players in the European leagues have outscored his 29 goals in 2024 this season, proving how great of a finisher he still is at 39.

TUKO.co.ke looks at the five players who have netted more than 29 goals in European leagues in 2024.

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European players who have outscored Ronaldo

1. Viktor Gyokeres

Gyokeres has been the hottest striker in Europe since last season, and it’s no surprise that he has netted 43 goals in the calendar year, including five in the last two games. According to Sky Germany, he is a target for top European clubs, and his move will come soon, with manager Ruben Amorim leaving for Manchester United.

2. Harry Kane

Kane would be at the top of this list with 37 goals if only the top five European leagues were considered. He continues to be a free-scoring striker at Bayern Munich and could finally get his hands on a trophy this season with the Bavarians racing to an early lead on the German Bundesliga table.

3. Robert Lewandowski

Lewandowski had a mixed season for Barcelona in 2023/24 but picked up his goalscoring boots in the second half of the season. He has been on fire under new boss Hansi Flick, whom he played under at Bayern. He has 34 goals this year, half of which have come this season.

4. Erling Haaland

Haaland has been one of Europe’s best goalscorers in Europe since he broke onto the scene at RB Salzburg and has remained consistent. He has 33 goals in 2024, 19 of which came last season to wrap up his second consecutive Premier League Golden Boot. He has 14 already this season.

5. Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe played the first half of 2024 as a Paris Saint-Germain player, scoring 23 goals despite issues with the club surrounding his intention to leave the club as a free agent. He has netted eight times for Real Madrid, including six in the Spanish La Liga.

Osimhen rated above Haaland

Ekwutosblog reported that Victor Osimhen was rated above Haaland on the list of the most marketable athletes in 2024 based on three criteria from a US website.

The Nigerian masked man narrowly edged the Norwegian goal machine as one of the footballers in the top 50, including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Heartland FC of Owerri beat Abia Warriors 2:0 away from home in oriental derby.

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Heartland FC of Owerri beat Abia Warriors 2:0 away from home in oriental derby.

Heartland FC of Owerri has just secured a thrilling 2-0 win over Abia Warriors in the Oriental Derby. This victory is a huge boost for the team, and  fans are over the moon!

Ekwutosblog gathered that according  to the latest match statistics, Heartland FC’s coach, Christian Obi, has finally broken the winless streak, securing his first victory in 17 attempts. This win is a testament to the team’s hard work and determination. As Obi said, “The jinx has been broken. I am excited and I want to use this opportunity to all those that have contributed your support. We are climbing the ladder and climbing the ladder has a process. It is one after the other.”

In terms of the match itself, Heartland FC dominated the game, with Abia Warriors struggling to find their footing. The statistics show that Heartland FC had a total of 9 goals in the last 6 matches, with an average of 1.5 goals per game. On the other hand, Abia Warriors had only 4 goals in the same period, with an average of 0.67 goals per game.

As for the head-to-head match statistics, Heartland FC has won 9 matches out of 16 against Abia Warriors, with 4 draws and 3 losses. The most recent match between the two teams ended in a 2-0 win for Heartland FC, with a total of 2 goals scored by Heartland FC and 0 goals scored by Abia Warriors.

 

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