Yaya Toure launched a furious rant at the 'indecent' and 'pathetic' African football confederation after being pipped to the African Player of the Year award.
The Manchester City midfielder, who had won the previous four awards, was beaten to first place by Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Aubameyang, born in France but a Gabon international, has scored 24 goals in 23 games this campaign and is a Premier League target. But Toure did not mince his words, with his complaints appearing to derive from a perceived lack of recognition for Ivory Coast winning the Africa Cup of Nations back in February.
(Left-right) Andre Ayew, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Yaya Toure wait for the award verdict
Toure ranted at the 'indecent' and 'pathetic' African football confederation's choice not to award him the gong
'I'm very, very disappointed. It's sad to see Africa react this way, that they don't think African achievements are important,' he told French radio station RFI.
'I think this is what brings shame to Africa, because to act in that way is indecent. But what can we do about it? Us Africans, we don't show that Africa is important in our eyes. We favour more what's abroad than our own continent. That is pathetic.'
Toure has endured consistent criticism this season, centred on his work-rate in midfield, yet Manuel Pellegrini told his detractors to lay off the midfielder, jumping to his defence ahead of today's FA Cup third-round trip to Norwich City.
The 32-year-old is highly unlikely to feature after attending the awards on Thursday night, with the City boss also facing a selection dilemma in the heart of his back four. Bacary Sagna could be used at centre half instead of Martin Demichelis.
The Manchester City midfielder was pipped to the Player of the Year by striker Aubameyang
Pellegrini, talking before Toure's outburst, said: 'Every time people say we have not got the squad we need, people always look at Yaya.
'Remember he scored three times in the last few games. Maybe against Everton he didn't play very well but every player has better or worse games.
'But you can't talk always (saying) it's because he's older. Everyone can have a bad game. Maybe it's the image, the body language. But if you review the numbers of Yaya, each game he runs as much as every team-mate.
Toure's complaints appear to derive from a lack of recognition of Ivory Coast winning the Africa Cup of Nations
'He's not so old. I think he's a player who is very important, an experienced player and he knows how to play every game. Maybe to play the whole season, three games a week, he is not able to do it. But I think he can play in the way he's playing now.'
Toure is no stranger to controversy, having bemoaned the spreading of 'bulls***' by critics only a matter of months ago.
He also made his desire to leave the Etihad in 2014 very public — with disgust at a missing cake on his birthday — and recently admitting to being unhappy at criticism of his performances.
On Friday he continued an ongoing feud with the Confederation of African Football — making damning parallels with FIFA.
Toure attempts to out-muscle Everton's Ross Barkley in the League Cup at Goodison Park on January 6
'Even FIFA, with all its history of corruption, wouldn't do [what CAF judges did],' he added.
'I'll give an example. Messi won all the trophies, but it's Cristiano Ronaldo who won the award [Ballon d'Or]. What would you say? It's unfair.
'Yaya will take care of Yaya and let Africa take care of itself. As I've been told many times, you can't take care of Africa too much because Africa will be the first to let you down.
'When I return to Europe, a lot of questions will be asked. I think I'm going to have to answer them. As I'm someone who's honest, I will always tell the truth.'
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