Football
Richard Jolly, ESPN.com writer 9y

Ivory Coast's Yaya Toure weighing up international retirement

Yaya Toure is considering whether to retire from international football and has asked to be omitted from Ivory Coast's squad for September's clash with Sierra Leone.

Toure, who has won 100 caps, captained his country to victory in February's African Nations Cup final, which was the first time in 23 years they had become champions of the continent.

The Manchester City midfielder, 32, has played in three World Cups and six African Nations Cups but is now debating whether to carry on playing for his country.

Ivory Coast manager Michel Dussuyer urged the former Barcelona and Monaco player to carry on representing his country.

He told reporters: "Yaya Toure is in a period of reflection about his international future. I hope he will continue."

Toure has started every game for Premier League leaders City so far this season but manager Manuel Pellegrini has stated he believes his vice-captain has had a heavy workload in recent seasons, partly because of his commitments for his country.

Toure, who has two more years left on his contract at the Etihad Stadium, had a difficult season last year, following a World Cup and when he struggled to recapture his form after the mid-season African Nations Cup.

His older brother Kolo, a former City teammate who joined Liverpool in 2013, announced his international retirement earlier this year.

Yaya and Kolo Toure are two of only five players who have won 100 caps for Ivory Coast.

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