Yaya Touré makes Champions League history with Slovan Bratislava
Yaya Touré has made history as the first African head coach to guide a club into the UEFA Champions League league phase after Slovan Bratislava overcame NK Celje in the playoffs.
Yaya Touré has etched his name into UEFA Champions League history after guiding Slovan Bratislava into the league phase, becoming the first African head coach to achieve the feat.
The Ivorian completed the landmark achievement on Wednesday as Slovan defeated Slovenian champions NK Celje 2-1 after extra time to secure a 3-2 aggregate victory in the final qualifying round.
The achievement marks another significant milestone in Touré’s transition from celebrated midfielder to senior coach, having taken charge of the Slovak champions earlier this summer.
His start in Bratislava has been particularly impressive, with the team maintaining an unbeaten competitive run under his leadership while also defending their strong domestic form.
UEFA confirmed Slovan’s place among the 36 teams competing in the 2026/27 Champions League league phase, giving Touré the opportunity to test his coaching credentials against Europe’s elite clubs.
His achievement also adds to the growing list of African coaches making an impact in European football, following Nigeria’s Ndubuisi Egbo, who became the first African coach to manage in the Champions League when he led KF Tirana in 2020.
For Touré, however, this latest milestone represents a particularly significant step as he begins what could become a notable coaching career.
