Career
Chelsea Football Club
In the summer of 2004, Drogba crossed the Channel ready to discover the Premier League. As the major new signing at Chelsea, he knew that he would quickly have to live up to expectations. The transfer fee of £24 million was astronomical, far higher, for example, than the amounts paid for David Beckham or Ronaldinho. The former hero of the Vélodrome had moved up to join the ranks of megastar players. Joining Chelsea to play in a galaxy of international stars, Didier had a single focus, "I want to win the Premiership and the Champions 'League".
The double for Didier and the Blues
Still on course to win the two trophies that he targeted in this his first year with his new club, Didier has already picked up a winner’s medal, thanks to Chelsea’s victory over Liverpool in the League Cup. “Drogs” played a full part in the win, scoring one of Chelsea’s three goals. The first silverware is safely in his trophy cabinet, and there is every indication that more will be added soon. At the end of a season where he gained the respect of his teammates and also the respect of the fans, Didier successively passed the Premier League test. The Ivory Coast striker scored several tremendous goals, like his brace at the Parc des Princes, including a stunning free-kick, in the Champions League group phase. He also scored two goals in the quarter-final clash against Bayern Munich. And despite being eliminated by Liverpool in the semi-finals, Chelsea achieved a huge season, winning, for the first time in 50 years, the Premier League Title. It’s a dream come true for Didier, who scored ten goals in the League and admitted that he felt «lots of emotion !»
Best passer and then, best scorer in the Premiership
His second season in London is also a success. The team was off to a flying start with another great performance for Didier during the Community Shield, where he scored both Chelsea goals against Arsenal (2-1). The Blues will stay on top of the table all year long, with Didier netting a total of 16 goals in all competitions. He even became the best passer in the Premiership with 11 assists ! And even if the FC Barcelona put an end to their European dream, the Ivory Coast striker and his teammates managed to keep their Premier League Title.
The 2006-2007 season is indisputably the year of greatness for Didier. "DD" received the Golden Boot award after scoring 20 goals in the Premiership, but also 5 in the Champions League, 3 in the FA Cup and 4 in the Carling Cup, netting both Chelsea goals in the Carling Cup final against Arsenal before sealing the Blues victory during the FA Cup final against Manchester United ! He also became the first Ivory Coast player to win the African Footballer of the Year. "I’m immensely proud to have been rewarded by the entire African continent! I can’t describe how happy I am." he declared. He was also appointed United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador for rolling back hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation and discrimination against women, which was very important to him. "I’ll never forget where I come from" Didier explained. "I was given a chance to succeed in life, but I always think about those who did not get that chance. We all have to work together if we want to combat poverty."
A Champions League final and some regrets...
The 2007-2008 season could undeniably be seen as a disappointment. After undergoing knee surgery in December, Didier would only play 17 Premier League games this season but he would be back to play the Champions League last 16, a competition where the Blues finally beat Liverpool. The Ivorian striker even scored a brace during the semi-finals against the Scousers and celebrated it with style. The "Battle of Moscow", the Champions League final between Manchester United and Chelsea left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Blues because they were so close to claim the trophy for the first time of the club’s history. They eventually lost on penalties, but Didier didn’t take part in the shootout because he was dismissed a few seconds earlier. Once this huge disappointment was overcome, the Elephants’ captain had to rest during three months, to recover from his knee injury. After two years without silverware, the Blues claimed their fifth FA Cup, the first since 2007. And Didier showed once again that he feels at home in the new Wembley. After scoring in his first four games played at the London stadium, Didier did it again, netting the wining goal in the semi-final against Arsenal (2-1), before opening the score in the final against Everton (2-1). Once again, Chelsea finished on the podium. But they didn't deserve to suffer a Champions League exit in the semi-finals to future winners, FC Barcelona. "It was very close, said Didier. We showed some quality and caused them many problems." The prestigious European Cup is still the Blues' ultimate goal. And their new coach Carlo Ancelotti, a two-time Champions League winner, knows everything about it...
After two years without silverware, the Blues claimed their fifth FA Cup, the first since 2007. And Didier showed once again that he feels at home in the new Wembley. After scoring in his first four games played at the London stadium, Didier did it again, netting the wining goal in the semi-final against Arsenal (2-1), before opening the score in the final against Everton (2-1). Once again, Chelsea finished on the podium. But they didn't deserve to suffer a Champions League exit in the semi-finals to future winners, FC Barcelona. The prestigious European Cup is still the Blues' ultimate goal. And it won't take long before they win it...
Records, and the long-desired trophy
However, in the 2009-2010 season, the Blues left the European competition in the second round, once again against the eventual winner, Inter Milan. But on the domestic level, Carlo Ancelotti's men achieved an outstanding year, starting with a success in the Community Shield against Manchester United (2-2, 4-1 pk). And the Blues went on to complete the double for the first time in their history, defending their Cup against Portsmouth (1-0), with Didier's 37th goal of the season, who also scored 29 of the club's record 103 goals as they won the championship. And he celebrated his third Premier League title with Chelsea with the capture of the golden boot for the second time in his career, after a hat-trick against Wigan at Stamford Bridge (8-0).
But the next year will be frustrating for the Abidjan native, even if he finished it with 13 goals and 17 assists. Eventually losing the Premier League ? and the Champions League's quarter-finals ? to Manchester United, the west Londoners did not win a trophy for the second time in seven years. But it will not last long. Because the 2011-2012 season ended Didier's Chelsea career the way he dreamed of. In the FA Cup, he scored the winning goal - his eighth in eight matches at Wembley - in the final against Liverpool (2-1), a few weeks after his 100th goal in the English Premier League against Stoke (1-0). But in Europe, it was even greater. After being instrumental against Napoli, he was the only scorer in the first leg of the semi-final against Barcelona (1-0). And in the final against Bayern Munich (1-1, 4 -3 pk), he levelled it with a header and delivered the first Champions League to Chelsea after scoring the decisive penalty in the shootout. With this long-desired trophy, and his other titles in the Premier League (3), FA Cup (4) and League Cup (2), Didier could leave on a high note, after eight years, 341 matches and 157 goals, a club he will never forget.
