- Didier Drogba has announced his retirement from professional football
- The Ivorian made his name at Chelsea and went on to become a club legend
- Drogba lifted 12 major trophies and scored 164 goals for the west London club
Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has announced that he will retire from football at the end of the season.
The 39-year-old frontman, who is currently playing for Phoenix Rising in America’s USL, revealed this season will be his last as a professional footballer.
Drogba told RMC Sport: ‘Ah, do you want a scoop? I think next year will be my last season.
Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has announced that he will retire at the end of the season
The striker won 12 trophies in two stints at Chelsea, which saw him spend nine years at the club
He will be remembered as one of the most powerful and dynamic strikers to play in England
‘At some point you have to stop. I need to have time for my other projects.’
The Ivorian made his name as a talismanic striker at Stamford Bridge, claiming 12 major trophies in a stunning nine-year stint for the west London club.
The former Blues marksman scored 164 goals in 381 games during a hugely successful period for the club — during which Drogba was a vital cog in the wheel.
While leading the line for Chelsea, he gained a reputation as one of the most powerful and dynamic strikers to ply his trade in England.
He won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups and one Champions League across two spells at the club.
Drogba scores the decisive penalty against Bayern Munich in the 2012 Champions League final
Drogba holds the record for the most goals scored — 57 in 82 games — for Ivory Coast
Following his incredible spell at Stamford Bridge, the former Ivory Coast international enjoyed stints at Shanghai Shenua, Galatasaray and Monreal Impact before arriving in Phoenix.
He did, however, return to his former haunt for a swansong season in 2014-15, where he picked up the Premier League and League Cup trophies in his final season in England.
Drogba holds the record for the most goals scored — 57 in 82 games — for Ivory Coast, but it is his impact in English football for which he will be most fondly remembered.
But it is his impact in English football for which he will be most fondly remembered