Yaya Toure Takes Job With Saudi Arabia National Team Just Months After Leaving Tottenham Role

Former Barcelona and Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has been hired as an assistant coach by the Saudi Arabia men's national team.

Toure, 40, will work under ex-City boss Roberto Mancini.

Saudi Arabian soccer is on a high after the country was recently confirmed as the host nation for the 2034 World Cup.

But the Saudi men's national team currently sits 57th in the FIFA Men's World Rankings.

Since taking charge of Saudi Arabia in August, Mancini has not yet won a game. His team has lost to Costa Rica, South Korea and Mali, as well as drawing with Nigeria.

Toure's first assignment will be to help Mancini's team to prepare for two World Cup qualifiers later this month - against Pakistan and Jordan.

Saudi Arabia will then be one of 24 teams taking part in the AFC Asian Cup, which starts in January.

Toure has left his job as assistant manager at Belgian club Standard Liege.

Yaya Toure pictured overseeing a Standard Liege training session in July

IMAGO/Photo News/Ses

On Friday, Toure tweeted: "When Roberto asked if I would join him in Saudi Arabia for this important project, while it was difficult to step away from Standard Liege, I knew it was the right move for me. I have always looked up to Roberto - so to work with him and learn from him is a perfect fit.

"Being part of football in Saudi Arabia gives me an opportunity to work in a Muslim country for the first time in my career. This is something I have always wanted to do. I cannot wait to get out on the field and start coaching at an exciting time for the game in Saudi Arabia!

"Although it was short, positive memories of my time at Standard Liege will never leave me - I now have a special bond with this great club. The fans are incredible. Their passion for their club is unbelievable. They welcomed me into their club and I am thankful to them for this."

Toure had been at Liege for less than five months, after joining in June when he vacated his role in the youth academy of Tottenham Hotspur, where he had worked with the U16 team.

Speaking shortly after leaving Tottenham, Toure suggested that he would be open to returning to the London club in the future.

"Tottenham did not stand in my way and they let me go and I think that was brilliant," he told the Press Association in July.

"I would love to carry on in Tottenham because my belief and development was to try to work with the grown men.

"If the opportunity to go back was there, then why not? Because what Tottenham did for me was incredible, they allowed me to work there and develop as a coach and for what they did for me I will never be able to thank them enough.

"They opened the door for me and allowed me to express myself in the right manner and do the things I wanted to do. That is a real positive for me. Of course at the end of the day I move on but Tottenham is always going to be a great club and one that will always mean something to me."