Published 20:07 IST, May 13th 2020
Throwback to Yaya Toure's infamous birthday cake incident at Man City that created a stir
Three-time PL champion Yaya Toure was left upset after Man City failed to get him a cake for his 31st birthday in 2014 and he threatened to leave the club.
Manchester City legend Yaya Toure is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders to have graced the Premier League. Currently playing his trade with Qingdao Huanghai, the Ivorian turns 37 on May 13. Over eight seasons with Manchester City, Yaya Toure won a number of accolades but most fans also remember the African star for his birthday cake incident. Having played a pivotal role in aiding Manchester City to the Premier League title in 2014, the Yaya Toure birthday cake incident almost saw the midfielder leave the Etihad Stadium. Toure left Man City in 2018 but the club remembered to wish their legend on Twitter this week.
Yaya Toure birthday cake incident at Manchester City
Having been crowned Premier League champions for the second time on May 11, 2014, Manchester City were too busy celebrating the success of their title triumph to remember to get Yaya Toure a cake for his birthday two days later. The Yaya Toure birthday cake incident blew up to a proportion where the Ivorian wanted an exit from the Etihad. Toure later played down the incident but admitted that the ignorance of not sending him a celebratory birthday cake left him 'damaged' with a lasting effect on his daily life.
Yaya Toure spoke to The TImes to explain how Manchester City failed to mark his 31st birthday with simple celebrations but later shifted the blame to his agent, Dmitry Selyuk for the fallout. Following the controversy of the Yaya Toure birthday cake incident, the midfield maestro threatened to leave Manchester City and even spoke with club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak to express his discontent. The issue was later resolved but Toure was left flabbergasted by the club's failure to send him a cake.
Yaya Toure Man City career
Yaya Toure joined Manchester City in 2010 from Barcelona and helped the Premier League club break the ice of conquering their first piece of silverware in 35 years, by scoring in the 1-0 win against Stoke City in the FA Cup final. Yaya Toure also won three Premier League titles at Man City and three League Cups. In 2018, Toure left Man City to join Greek club Olympiacos.
Updated 20:07 IST, May 13th 2020