Ivorian · Abidjan, Ivory Coast · Born 11 March 1978Ivorian striker who became Chelsea's greatest ever player, scoring 164 goals in 381 appearances and leading them to their first Champions League title in 2012.
Didier Yves Drogba Tébily was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast in 1978 and moved to Paris at five, living with his uncle. After struggling lower-league spells in France, a breakout season at Gueugnot (2002–03) brought him to Marseille and then Chelsea in 2004 for £24 million. His twelve seasons associated with Chelsea produced 164 Premier League goals in 254 appearances. He was the club's greatest big-game performer — scoring in all four of his FA Cup final appearances, and scoring a 91st-minute header to equalise in the 2012 Champions League final against Bayern Munich — from 1-0 down with ten men — then converting the winning penalty in the shootout. He won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League. He won the PFA Fans' Player of the Year and was named African Player of the Year four times. He earned 105 caps for Ivory Coast, scoring 65 goals — the national record — and captained them to three Africa Cup of Nations finals. After Chelsea he played for Shanghai Shenhua, Galatasaray, Montreal Impact, Phoenix Rising and returned to Chelsea in 2014–15 for a final season. He became a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador and was listed in TIME's 100 most influential people in 2010. Beyond football, his public address to Ivory Coast's warring factions in 2005 — asking all armed groups to lay down weapons — is regarded as football's most politically significant individual action of the 21st century. Chelsea's greatest cult hero of the Premier League era.
Scoring winning penalty in 2012 Champions League final for Chelsea
How They Played
Powerful target man with exceptional finishing and big-game mentality
Lasting Impact
Greatest African footballer of his generation and Chelsea icon
Career Honours
- Champions League 2012 (Chelsea)
- Premier League 2005, 2006, 2010, 2015
- FA Cup 4x
- League Cup 3x
- Africa Cup of Nations finalist 2006, 2012
- Champions League 2012
- Premier League 2005
- Premier League 2006
- Premier League 2010
| Club | Period | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Mans | 1998–2002 | 254 | 34 | #11 |
| Gueugnon | 2002–2003 | 717 | 67 | #26 |
| Marseille | 2003–2004 | 36 | 2 | #26 |
| Chelsea | 2004–2012 | 254 | 104 | — |
| Galatasaray | 2013–2014 | 53 | 20 | — |
| Montreal Impact | 2015–2015 | 11 | 2 | — |
| Phoenix Rising | 2017–2018 | 13 | 1 | — |
| Shanghai Shenhua | 2012–2013 | 11 | 8 | — |
 Ivory Coast | — | 105 | 65 | — |
Ivorian Athletes