The most famous (and most successful) football player from Africa is without doubt Didier Drogba of the Ivory Coast. Voted African Footballer of the Year for the second time in 2009, Drogba is the biggest representative for the whole African continent during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. At 32 years old Didier Drogba already had a brilliant career with Chelsea and Marseille, playing top level football in some of the most prestigious leagues in Europe. All that’s missing from his trophy case is international success with his national team, the Elephants of Côte d’Ivoire.
In 2006 the Ivory Coast had to play in probably the toughest group of the tournament against Argentina, the Netherlands and Serbia. Going to South Africa things are looking very similar for Drogba and his team, competing in Group G versus Brazil, Portugal and North Korea – once again in the hardest group. But anything could happen in a World Cup, and for sure we should expect to at least see a few goals from Didier Drogba during these games.
Drogba started his career in France playing for Le Mans and Guingamp, but it was his jump to Olympique de Marseille in 2003 that made the player known all over the world. In his first year with Marseille Didier Drogba scored a record 30 goals, winning the Player of the Year award with ease. The Premier League was watching closely, and at the end of the season Chelsea signed Drogba for the record fee of 24 million pounds and brought the player to London in an effort to once again make the team the big club it used to be.
Drogba helped Chelsea win back to back Premiership titles in 2005 and 2006, their first championships after more than 50 years. He established himself as one of the most important players of the club, scoring more goals for Chelsea than any other foreign player in history. Didier Drogba is currently Chelsea’s seventh highest goal scorer of all time, justifying the title of the most expensive Ivory Coast player ever.
Drogba has won pretty much everything with Chelsea, but playing for Ivory Coast is a lot harder to achieve international success. In 2006 he became the first goal scorer for Ivory Coast in a World Cup competition, and his country is the only team that has scored a goal in all their World Cup matches. Drogba’s ultimate goal in South Africa is to keep that record alive while scoring many goals in every match his team plays. Having the support of all Africa on their side can definitely give the boost Drogba needs to once again lead Côte d’Ivoire during the 2010 World Cup.
Didier Drogba photos
Didier Drogba videos
Drogba video compilation, 2008-2009 season goals
Top five goals of Drogba video
The best of Didier Drogba, nice video of Drogba with Chelsea
Didier Drogba 100 goals video compilation
First 50 goals with Chelsea video, Didier Drogba at his best
