Yaya Toure has been named assistant coach of Saudi Arabia’s national team and will work alongside manager Roberto Mancini, the Saudi Football Federation said on Friday.
The former Ivory Coast captain played for Mancini when the Italian was manager of Premier League Manchester City.
Toure, 40, began his coaching career four years ago, working at Ukraine’s Donetsk Olympic, Russia’s Grozny, Belgium’s Standard Liege, and with the Under-16 team at England’s Tottenham Hotspur.
He played more than 100 internationals and for clubs including Manchester City, AS Monaco and Barcelona.
Yaya also represented Ivory Coast in six Africa Cup of Nations in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2015, helping them finish runner-up in 2006 and 2012 while captaining them to victory in 2015.
He is the younger brother of fellow former footballer Kolo Toure, who was his teammate at Manchester City and for the national team.
Saudi Arabia have lost twice under former Italy coach Mancini who took the job in August, 3-1 to Costa Rica and 1-0 to South Korea.
