Manchester City legend Yaya Toure is reportedly set to take up his first role as head coach with Belgian second-tier club Daring Brussels.
Toure, 42, is currently assistant coach with the Saudi Arabian national team under Herve Renard, and has previously held backroom roles at Standard Liège, Olimpik Donetsk, Akhmat Grozny, and Tottenham Hotspur’s U16s.
The reported move to Daring Brussels — a club formerly known as Racing White Daring Molenbeek would represent the former midfielder’s long-awaited entry into full-time senior management.
“I’m just challenging myself at a high level in Europe, and we’ll see if opportunities come in,” Toure said in 2023.
“Most of the time, people have questioned whether Africans or black coaches would be able to take lessons properly and get involved in managerial roles. I think now they’re going to have the answer soon.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Toure is no stranger to Belgian football. He began his professional career in the country with K.S.K. Beveren at just 18 and returned in 2022 as assistant coach at Standard Liège under Carl Hoefkens.
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The Brussels-based club — now owned by American businessman John Textor, who also holds stakes in Crystal Palace, Botafogo, and newly relegated Olympique Lyon — finished third last season in the Belgian second division but failed to win promotion after a playoff defeat to Lokeren.
However, the club’s name change to Daring Brussels has sparked significant backlash. Longtime supporters and the local government in Molenbeek have protested fiercely against the erasure of “RWDM” from the identity of the historic club.
Despite the off-field unrest, the appointment of a high-profile figure like Toure could be seen as an ambitious step by the Textor-led hierarchy.
Kolo Toure, the senior brother of Yaya, at Manchester City. Photo Credit: Reuters
Known for his playing spells with Barcelona, Monaco, Olympiacos, and most notably Manchester City, Toure retired in 2019 after a brief stint in China with Qingdao Hainiu.
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His older brother, Kolo Toure, also ventured into coaching and previously managed Wigan Athletic during the 2022–23 season. Kolo currently works with Manchester City’s youth teams and is part of the club’s coaching setup at the FIFA Club World Cup.
