Drogba came to define a trophy-laden era at Stamford Bridge, but where does he rank among the nominees for the Best Premier League Transfers Ever? Vote below…
Didier Drogba – a true Chelsea king (Image: PA)
Some players are mirrors of their managers, and Didier Drogba was Jose Mourinho incarnate on the pitch for Chelsea.
A born winner, the Ivorian led the Chelsea front line with a fearless tenacity and world-class ability that few, if any, defenders could cope with. As part of our Best Premier League Transfers Ever series, we take a look at how Drogba became a Stamford Bridge legend…
Drogba’s journey to the top took some time to get going. A late bloomer in France, Drogba’s career had stalled at the age of 21 – but he earned a move from Guingamp to Marseille in 2003, and an excellent season at OM saw Chelsea part with £24million for his services.
Drogba provided the perfect foil for Mourinho’s new-look side: able to lead the line and play with his back to goal, the forward was the fearless fulcrum of the team, bullying centre-backs in the air and bewitching them on the deck with a sureness of touch and superb finishing technique.
Drogba won the Premier League title in his first season in England, scoring 16 goals in all competitions. Sixteen more goals and another title followed the next season, and he broke the 20-goal barrier in the League the next year – though Mourinho and Chelsea parted ways not long into the 2007/08 campaign.
Mourinho’s exit hit Drogba hard, with the striker shedding tears when the coach told him he was leaving; the forward made no secret of the Portuguese’s impact on his life and career, and how Mourinho was a key motivator for the squad.
Drogba posted lighter returns in 07/08 and 08/09, but was back to his very best in 09/10 under Guus Hiddink – he netted 29 in 32 League games as Chelsea beat Manchester United to the title by one point, while also lifting the FA Cup. His goal in the 2-1 win at Old Trafford late in the season was viewed by many as that goal that decided the title race, while a hat-trick on the final day in an 8-0 demolition of Wigan was a perfect end to a stunning individual campaign.
Drogba and Chelsea celebrate their 2009/10 Double ( Image: AFP/Getty)
As he showed that season, Drogba was a big-game player… but his biggest moment with the Blues was still to come. In 2011/12, Chelsea and Drogba were poor domestically; the striker scoring just five League goals as the Blues finished a lowly sixth. They did, however, manage to scrape into the Champions League Final, and that night in Munich was made for Drogba.
With Chelsea trailing to Bayern in the Bavarians’ own Allianz Arena, Drogba headed home Juan Mata’s 88th-minute corner to take the game to extra-time and penalties. Blues fans all know what happened next: Drogba stroked home the winning shootout spot-kick to deliver glory; once again the big player for the big occasion.
Drogba celebrates his Champions League-winning penalty ( Image: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Drogba bowed out on a high, leaving west London for stints in China and Turkey before returning to Chelsea to work under Mourinho again in 2014. The comeback worked a charm, with Drogba winning the title again and being carried off by his team-mates in the final game of the season; another perfect goodbye.
All told, Drogba scored 157 goals during his two Stamford Bridge spells, winning 14 trophies – and his finals record speaks for itself: 10 finals; 10 goals; 10 trophies. A fearless, world-class striker with an elite mentality… what more could you ask for?
