Manchester City and Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure thinks he is not regarded as one of the best players in the world because he is from Africa.
Toure has 22 goals this season, helping City to win the League Cup and challenge for the Premier League title.
The 30-year-old, who will miss a fortnight of City's title challenge with a leg injury suffered in the Sunderland loss, says he's proud to be African and he wants to be an example for players from his continent.
Toure says he wants to show the world that African players can be as good as Europeans and South Americans, and can be involved in the top sides - but in people's minds, Africans are seen like animals and not as human beings.
Toure says he will be disappointed if he is not named player of the year by the Professional Footballers' Association.