Yago Yao spent his entire 18-year senior career in Spain, amassing a combined La Liga totals of 43 matches and one goal for Celta (two spells) and Recreativo.
Yago Yao was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast to an Ivorian mother and a Spanish father.
Six hours after his birth he was taxed as Spanish and, three months later, he was taken to live in Asturias where his paternal grandfather was from.
[8] In 2000–01 he appeared in 20 games in La Liga as the Galicians finished sixth, but split the 2002–03 season with two teams that met the same fate, relegation (Recre and Oviedo, one in each of the major levels of Spanish football).
After unsuccessful trials at both Aris Thessaloniki and Hamilton Academical, Yago Yao returned to Spain in January 2010, signing with modest Montañeros in Galicia.