Didier Drogba, the former Chelsea icon who recently hosted the Ballon d’Or Award 2023 ceremony in Paris on Monday, was among the nominees during his time as a player. The forward represented several clubs in his career, including those in the French League, Chinese Super League, and MLS.
Despite playing for various clubs throughout his career, his best years came at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea, where he became one of the best players to play in the English Premier League. He was also a key player in the Blues’ Champions League triumph.
When did Didier Drogba hang up his cleats?
Drogba was born in Côte d’Ivoire city called Abidjan before moving to France to kick-start his footballing career. The forward officially started his senior club career with the French club EA Guingamp in 2002. Guingamp currently competes in the French second tier.
Next season, the Ivorian moved to French giants Marseille from where he first came into the limelight and was crowned as player of the year accolade following his impressive 39 goal contributions in a total of 55 appearances in all competitions. He also featured in the UEFA Cup final in 2004 being the top scorer in the tournament.
In 2004, when Jose Mourinho joined the Blues after a historic Champions League winning campaign with Porto. Chelsea came in calling for Drogba’s signature by paying £ 24 million making him the most expensive Ivorian player in history.
In his debut season, the striker led the Blues to the Premier League title and scored in the League Cup final against Liverpool. The following season, he helped retain their league title, leading Chelsea’s attack under Jose Mourinho in the 2005/06 season.
The striker’s glorious spell with Premier League giants ended after lifting the Champions League in 2012. The Ivorian international went to play for Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua And Galatasaray respectively. Finally, in December 2018 Drogba announced his retirement from professional football.
Didier Drogba career highlights
The Ivorian international forward is regarded as an icon in African football alongside the likes of Samuel Eto’o, who allegedly got involved in investigated by police for match fixing allegations, and George Weah for his achievements as a player for both club and country. Drogba has acclaimed numerous trophies and titles, in addition to individual honors, while playing at the highest level in football.
In his long two-decade career, the striker boasts more than 300 goals and 127 assists. He earned 8 Ballon d’Or nominations and was twice the Golden Boot winner for Chelsea, and numerous Player of the Season titles. Moreover, he ranks as the all-time top scorer for Ivory Coast with 105 national caps and the third-highest scorer for Chelsea.
