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Exploring former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, the two-time African Player of the Year and Premier League Hall of Famer, whose big-game goals and personality made him an unmissable character.
Who is Didier Drogba?
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Didier Drogba (Full name: Didier Yves Drogba Tebily) is an Ivorian former professional footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest African players of all time.
He is best known for his career at Chelsea, where he scored more goals than any other foreign player and is currently the club's fourth-highest goal scorer.
Drogba was known for his pace, strength, and big-game impact, making him a formidable force in the Premier League and on the international stage.
The retired forward began his career in France before joining Chelsea in 2004 for a then-record fee of £24 million from Marseille. In his debut season, he played a commendable role in helping the West London club win their first league title in 50 years.
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He won three more Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and three League Cups with the club.
In 2012, Drogba etched his name into Chelsea folklore by scoring the winning penalty in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, securing the club's first-ever Champions League trophy. This iconic moment cemented his status as a Chelsea legend.
Drogba also had a successful international career, captaining the Ivory Coast national team and leading them to three World Cups. He is the nation's all-time top scorer with 65 goals in 105 appearances.
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Outside of his on-field achievements, Drogba is admired for his philanthropy and leadership.
He is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme and has been involved in various initiatives to promote peace and development in Africa.
Didier Drogba Age
Didier Drogba was born on March 11, 1978. He is 46 years old as of October 2024.
Where was Didier Drogba born?
Didier Drogba born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
Didier Drogba Height
Didier Drogba is 6 feet 2 inches. In metres, the former striker is 1.89m tall.
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When did Didier Drogba start playing football?
Didier Drogba started playing football in his teens. Although his interest in the sport was recognised at a young age, a far from straightforward path — moving to France, returning to Ivory Coast and leaving for the European nation again — slowed his development.
A 15-year-old Drogba then joined semi-professional club Levallois before joining the Le Mans youth setup in 1997 at 19. He turned pro a year later at 20.
Who did Didier Drogba play for?
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Youth Career
Dunkerque
Tourcoing: 1988–1989
Abbeville: 1989–1991
Vannes: 1991–1993
Levallois: 1993–1997
Le Mans: 1997–1998
Senior Career
Le Mans: 1998–2002
Guingamp: 2002-2003
Marseille: 2003-2004
Chelsea: 2004-2012
Shanghai Shenhua: 2012-2013
Galatasaray: 2013-2014
Montreal Impact: 2015-2016
Phoenix Rising: 2017-2018
Didier Drogba Chelsea
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Didier Drogba's time at Chelsea (2004-2012, 2014-2015) cemented his status as a club legend. He made 381 appearances, scoring 164 goals, making him Chelsea's all-time top-scoring foreign player and fourth overall.
His arrival and subsequent impact helped the Blues win their first league title in 50 years (2004-05), then another the following season.
He was crucial to their title wins in 2009-10, finishing top goalscorer with 29 goals. Although he played a bit-part role in the 2014-15 title-winning season, his leadership and experience were pivotal for the dressing room.
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Drogba was renowned for his big-game performances, particularly in finals. He holds the record for most FA Cup final goals (4), scoring in the 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2012 finals, including the winning goals against Manchester United in 2007 and Portsmouth in 2010.
He also contributed to League Cup victories in 2005, 2007 and 2015, finding the net against Liverpool in 2005 and scoring a brace against Arsenal to complete Chelsea’s turnaround.
Drogba scored a remarkable nine goals in 10 cup finals for Chelsea (excluding the Community Shield), a testament to his clutch ability and composure under pressure.
The retired striker’s most iconic moment came in the 2012 Champions League final against Bayern Munich. The Ivorian scored a late equaliser and the winning penalty in the shootout, securing Chelsea's first-ever European Cup title.
Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard
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Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard were two of Chelsea's most iconic players, establishing a partnership that brought immense success to the club.
They held the Premier League record for most combined goals by a pair of Premier League players (36) until Harry Kane and Heung-min Son overtook the Blues legends in February 2022.
Didier Drogba Premier League
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22:48 - 17.05.2024
Premier League: Will anyone emulate Henry, Drogba and Aiyegbeni’s final-day heroics?
No player has scored a final-day Premier League hat-trick in seven years, but will that wait end this weekend to match the feats of Henry, Drogba and Aiyegbeni?
Didier Drogba made 254 Premier League appearances, scoring 104 goals and assisting 55.
A four-time Premier League champion, the ex-Chelsea man also won the Golden Boot twice (20 goals in 2006-07 and 29 in 2009-10) and was the top-scoring African player before Mohamed Salah surpassed that tally in October 2021 (the Egypt superstar has scored 163 top-flight goals as of October 2024).
Drogba was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in April 2022.
Didier Drogba Stats (Didier Drogba Career Goals)
According to Transfermarkt, Didier Drogba made 688 professional club appearances, scoring 302 goals. Most of his games came in the Premier League (254) with Chelsea, and he played 92 times in the Champions League for Marseille, the Blues and Galatasaray.
He played 80 times in Ligue 1, scoring 39 times, featured 37 times in the Turkish Super Lig, notching 15 goals and found the back of the net 21 times in 33 MLS fixtures.
Drogba also scored 65 goals in 105 matches for the Ivory Coast, making him the Elephants' top goalscorer as of October 2024.
In total, Drogba played 793 times and scored 367 goals.
Didier Drogba vs Arsenal
Arsenal were Didier Drogba's favourite opponents, demonstrated by his 13 goals in 15 appearances against the North London club.
The former striker opened his account against Chelsea's cross-town rivals with a brace in the 2005 Community Shield and never looked back.
Although eight of his 13 strikes were Premier League goals, Drogba netted in Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final success over the Gunners in the 2008-09 season having previously notched a brace in the 2006-07 EFL Cup final.
Didier Drogba vs Samuel Eto’o
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Didier Drogba vs Samuel Eto'o often sparked debates about who the superior striker was, given their international and club successes as well as individual honours.
Drogba was voted CAF African Player of the Year twice, an award Eto'o won four times. While the former Ivory Coast striker never captained the Elephants to Africa Cup of Nations success, the Cameroon legend claimed two titles in 2000 and 2002.
Both players recorded significant triumphs abroad, underscored by Drogba's four Premier League wins, as many FA Cup victories and one Champions League success.
Eto'o dwarfed that, evidenced by his multiple league wins with Barcelona and Inter Milan and notable treble-winning campaigns in consecutive seasons (Barcelona in 2008-09 and Inter in 2009-10).
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Didier Drogba Ballon d’Or
Despite his legendary status, Didier Drogba never won the Ballon d’Or. However, he was nominated for the prestigious award eight times throughout his career, showcasing his consistent excellence and impact on the game.
His highest placement was fourth in 2007, finishing behind Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Since 2019, Drogba has become a familiar face at the Ballon d'Or ceremony, co-hosting the prestigious event alongside Sandy Heribert.
This partnership continued in 2024, with the duo again taking the stage to celebrate the best in football.
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When did Didier Drogba retire?
Didier Drogba retired from professional football in November 2018 at the age of 40.
Didier Drogba Honours
Club
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Chelsea
Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2014–15
FA Cup: 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12
Football League Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07, 2014–15
FA Community Shield: 2005, 2009
UEFA Champions League: 2011–12
Galatasaray
Super Lig: 2012–13
Turkish Cup: 2013–14
Turkish Super Cup: 2013
Phoenix Rising
Western Conference (USL): 2018
Individual
African Footballer of the Year: 2006, 2009
BBC African Footballer of the Year: 2009
CAF Team of the Year: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012
Ivory Coast Player of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2012
FIFPro World XI: 2007
Premier League Golden Boot: 2006–07, 2009–10
PFA Team of the Year: 2006–07 Premier League, 2009–10 Premier League
Premier League Hall of Fame: 2022
Turkish Footballer of the Year: 2013
Golden Foot: 2013
Ligue 1 Player of the Year: 2003–04
Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2003–04
Didier Drogba Wife
Didier Drogba was married to Lalla Diakite, a Malian woman, and the couple had three children together. However, Drogba confirmed their separation in January 2021.
“I can confirm that sadly, after 20 years together, Lalla and I took the difficult decision to separate last year,” read Drogba’s statement. “We remain very close and our main priorities have been to protect our children and our family's private life. May God bless you.”
Since then, Drogba has been in a relationship with Gabrielle Lemaire, a Belgian entrepreneur.
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Didier Drogba Net Worth
Didier Drogba's net worth is estimated to be around $90 million. His impressive wealth comes from earning substantial salaries during his playing days, securing lucrative endorsements with major brands like Samsung, Pepsi, Nike and Konami, and investments.
Didier Drogba Social Media
Didier Drogba is active on social media, sharing updates on his activities, interacting with fans and promoting his foundation.
As of October 2024, he has 15.4 followers on Instagram (@didierdrogba) and 2.7 million followers on X(@didierdrogba).
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