The 36-year-old former Ivory Coast international is one of the most decorated players on the African continent
Roma and Guinea midfielder Amadou Diawara has named former Manchester City star Yaya Toure as his role model.
The 36-year-old Ivorian, who currently plays in the Chinese Super League for Qingdao Huanghai, has had a glittering career playing for the likes of Monaco, Barcelona and Olympiacos.
Toure has 15 major titles in his cabinet including the Champions League and Africa Cup of Nations. He is also a four-time African Footballer of the Year.
“Yaya Toure. I’d watch him on TV at home during his Barcelona days and I also followed his journey with the Ivory Coast,” Diawara told the official Roma website.
“The Africa Cup of Nations is very important to us and we all sit in front of the TV to watch it. He was my idol, so while I watched Guinea’s games and got behind my country, I also supported him.
“He had incredible vision and played in the same position as me. I dreamt of becoming a player like him.”
Having started out his senior career in Italy with San Marino and then Bologna and Napoli before joining Roma, Diawara also pointed to Roma legend Danielle De Rossi as his role model in Italy.
“As for Italian football, I really liked Daniele De Rossi and would watch plenty of Roma matches in order to see him in action,” he added.
“He would simply bowl me over. I loved the way he covered the pitch, his vision and first touch, what a player!”
In the coaching sphere, Diawara pointed to Maurizio Sarri as having a big influence on him. He, however, did assert that things didn’t work out when Carlo Ancelotti arrived.
It was within that period the Guinean switched to Roma.
“I think that it was Maurizio Sarri who wanted me at Napoli. I’m grateful to him for that because he really made me improve as a footballer,” Diawara continued.
“He taught me how to play the game and selected me in important games straight away, showing how much faith he had in me. We then took different paths, but I’m thankful to him for how much he made me develop as a player and as a man.
“When Carlo Ancelotti took over, I didn’t know if I’d stay at Napoli, but he called me to say that I was in his plans. It didn’t quite pan out that way in the end. He’s a great man, but it didn’t work out that well between us.
“He’s an excellent coach, who’s quite similar to Sarri. He always wants us to bring the ball out at our feet and make good use of our midfielders, which is something I very much like.
“This new adventure is another step forward in my career and I have to make the most of it. After the Africa Cup of Nations last summer, I came back before the holidays to meet the coach and my team-mates. I couldn’t wait for the season to get going.”
Diawara also explained the thrill of playing at his first Africa Cup of Nations with Guinea at the 2019 edition in Egypt.
The Syli Nationale reached the Round of 16 but lost out 3-0 to eventual champions Algeria.
“Playing for Guinea makes me feel something that I can’t put into words. It brings a tear to my eye when the fans sing the national anthem.
“It was my first Africa Cup of Nations and I was so excited to compete in it. It was an incredible experience.”
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