Yaya Touré takes first head coaching role at Slovak champions Slovan Bratislava

A new challenge

Yaya Touré, the 43-year-old former Ivory Coast international, has signed a three-year contract to become head coach of Slovak champions Slovan Bratislava. He replaces Vladimir Weiss, who left the club after leading it to six consecutive Slovak First Football League titles and recently took over the Slovakia national team. Touré will start work on Monday, according to his own words.

“My predecessor deserves great respect for what he's achieved with Slovan. I want to build on that while also bringing something new and unique of my own.”

"Soccer is everything to me," Touré added. "I love challenges and am incredibly excited to coach a great club with a rich history, a beautiful stadium, and high ambitions."

From assistant to the top job

Touré ended his playing career after leaving Chinese side Qingdao at the start of 2020. His coaching path began with Tottenham Hotspur's under-16 squad in August 2022, followed by an assistant role at Belgian club Standard Liege in 2023. He then joined the Saudi Arabian national team setup under Roberto Mancini in October 2023, where he helped the side qualify for a third straight World Cup. Before that, he also had short spells as an assistant at Olimpik Donetsk and Akhmat Grozny.

“As an assistant, I had the opportunity to work with Robert Mancini, for example, but I've longed for a long time to be able to work on my own project as a head coach.”

He added that he appreciated the chance arriving at a top club he had recently watched face his former team Manchester City in the Champions League.

Slovan's recent dominance

Slovan Bratislava have won the Slovak league in each of the last eight seasons, claiming their 24th title overall last term. The club remains the country's most successful side. Their 2024-25 Champions League campaign was difficult, however: they lost all eight league phase matches and finished 35th out of 36 teams.

Touré will be expected to maintain domestic supremacy while improving performances in European competition. With his playing pedigree (three Premier League titles at Manchester City, three La Liga crowns and a Champions League at Barcelona) and a clear philosophy, he hopes to make an immediate impact.