Didier Drogba who is also known as Didier Yves Drogba Tébily was born on 11th March, 1978 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. At the tender age of five years, he was sent to France by his parents where he lived with his uncle, Michel Goba, who was also a professional footballer.
However, Drogba was too nostalgic and returned to Abidjan after completing a stay of three years. His nickname was “Tito” which was given to him by his mother after President Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia, of whom she was a great admirer. Although he used to play football regularly in a car park in the city but he could not stay in Côte d’Ivoire for a longer time as both of his parents lost their jobs and he had to again return to France where he lived with his uncle.
In the year 1991, his parents also went to France, initially to a place called Vannes and later settled in Antony in the year 1993, which was situated in the suburb of Paris. During this time, Drogba who was 15 years old at that time, returned to live with his parents and siblings. It was here that he started to play team football more often and joined a local youth side.
Drogba’s career took a kick start as a junior player at Levallois, which was a semi professional club. Gradually he gained reputation as a prodigal scorer in the youth team thereby impressing the coach with his highly professional attitude. His performances made a place for him in the senior squad but despite scoring in his debut, football match, the 18-year-old footballer from Ivory Coast could not make sufficient impression failed to make a on Jacques Loncar, the first coach of the team.
By age of 21, Drogba could finally realize that he would have to convert his dreams of becoming a footballer into reality or otherwise remain as a mediocre player, which would anyway crush his career as a professional footballer. He made his first team debut for Le Mans soon after and signed his first professional contract in the year 1999. Drogba’s personal life was also taking much of his time as his Malian wife Alla had given birth to their first child Isaac.
He became engrossed with his new responsibilities, which emerged in one of his later statements: “Isaac’s birth was a turning point in my life, it straightened me out”.
His first season, in which he scored seven goals in thirty games was at par with the expectations for the future but unfortunately in the very he failed to make a similar impression through his game. Thereafter, Drogba lost his place to Daniel Cousin due to injury and upon his return he failed to score throughout the rest of the season. However, he made an impressive return in the following season, making 21 appearances and scoring five times.
He is an Ivorian footballer who plays in the centre forward position. Presently, he is playing for Chelsea in the Premier League, where he is the deputy vice-captain. In addition to this, he is the captain and all-time top scorer of the national football team of Côte d’Ivoire.
He has scored more goals for Chelsea as compared to any other foreign player and is currently Chelsea’s sixth highest goal scorer of all times. His chief characteristics include his physical strength, ability in the air, and his power to retain possession of the ball.