Yaya Touré has quickly established himself as one of the most promising African coaches in European football after guiding Slovan Bratislava into the UEFA Champions League league phase. Here are seven things about coaching journey of the Ivorian legend that many fans may not know.
1. He started coaching while still building his post-playing experience
After retiring, Touré began his coaching path with short assistant roles rather than jumping straight into a head coach position. He first worked as an assistant at Ukrainian side Olimpik Donetsk in early 2021.
2. He gained experience in Russia and Belgium
Later in 2021 he served as assistant coach at Akhmat Grozny in Russia. In 2023 he moved to Belgium as assistant manager at Standard Liège, continuing to build knowledge of different football cultures and systems.
3. He coached at Tottenham Hotspur’s academy
Between 2022 and 2023, Touré worked as a coach with Tottenham Hotspur’s Under-16 team. The academy role gave him valuable hands-on experience developing young players in one of England’s top environments.
4. He reunited with Roberto Mancini in Saudi Arabia
In November 2023, Touré joined the Saudi Arabia national team as assistant coach under his former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini. The role exposed him to high-level international football and tactical work at senior national team level.
5. Slovan Bratislava is his first job as head coach
Despite his growing résumé, Touré only took his first full managerial position in June 2026 when he signed a three-year contract with Slovak champions ŠK Slovan Bratislava.
6. He has remained unbeaten in his early matches in charge
In his first competitive games with Slovan, Touré’s side recorded an impressive unbeaten run, including four wins and two draws in the Champions League qualifying rounds.
7. He became the first African coach to reach the Champions League league phase
By steering Slovan Bratislava through the playoffs with a 3-2 aggregate victory over NK Celje, Touré made history as the first African head coach to qualify a team for the UEFA Champions League’s main league phase.
Touré’s rapid rise shows a deliberate, step-by-step approach to coaching. From academy work and assistant roles under experienced managers to making history in his first senior job, the Ivorian is building a coaching profile that matches the ambition he showed as a player.
