Champions League trophy starts Africa tour

  1. Posted on Tuesday 2 June 2009 - 13:00
    Selay
    Image of Selay
    Selay K. Marius, AfricaNews reporter in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
    The European Champions League trophy is on a-three nation tour in Africa. The first stop on this three-nation tour with the club's African players was at Ivory Coast. Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure was greeted by crowds of people in Ivory Coast's main city where he also met the president on Monday.
    Champions League trophy
    The trophy is also due to go to Mali and Cameroon, the other African nations to produce players who helped the Catalan club beat Manchester United last week.

    Many of Africa's top players play for top clubs in Europe while the game in their home nations struggles.

    "My next target is the continental trophy, the African Cup of Nations," Toure told reporters as he dedicated the trophy to his country, which remains mired in political turmoil after a 2002-03 war left it divided.

    At least 19 people were killed and another 132 were injured at a World Cup qualifying match there in March.

    Later, a reception was hold at the private home of the Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo in honour of Toure Yaya Gnegneri.

    “I dedicate this trophy to the populations living in Côte d’Ivoire. I am glad to know that this trophy brings you a great joy. I invite politicians, decision makers, religious leaders and any person living in this country to give peace a chance in order to bring more joy in the heart of Ivorians” has said the national football hero.

    After Ivory Coast, the trophy will be taken to Seydou Keita's Mali and Cameroon, home country of striker Samuel Eto'o who scored the opening goal in Barcelona's 2-0 win over Manchester United in Rome.

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