The Sports PR Company

Observer Sports Monthly – March 2009

Anglomania – February 2009

Vanity Fair – June 2010

Time magazine – May 2010

Didier Drogba

Date of birth
11/03/1978
Place of birth
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
Nationality
Ivory Coast
Height
6’2
Weight
14st 5lb
Playing position
Striker
Current club
Chelsea FC

Didier was born in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, one of seven siblings. At the age of six he was sent to live in France as his parents wanted to provide Didier with a better chance to succeed in life. Didier lived with his uncle until his family moved to France in 1992, where they lived in a one bedroom flat in the suburbs of Paris. Throughout his school years Didier played football with local clubs, and encouraged by his uncle he moved from right-back to striker. Unsure if he would

make it as a professional footballer his family encouraged him to study accountancy at college.

It was not until Didier was aged 19 that he made his first team debut for Ligue 2 club Le Mans. It was halfway through the 2001/02 season that he moved to Ligue 1 club Guingamp for a fee of Ł80,000. Signing his first professional contract at the age of 21, it was not until the 2002/03 season that his potential was realised, scoring 17 goals in 34 appearances. His strong goal scoring record attracted interest from larger clubs and in 2003 Didier signed for Olympique de Marseille for a fee of Ł3.3 million. He finished that season as the second highest goal scorer in the league scoring 19 goals and winning the award for French Player of the Year. He also contributed six goals that season in the UEFA Cup and made it through to the 2004 UEFA Cup Final.

Didier moved to Chelsea FC for a record breaking fee of Ł24 million. He helped the club win their first ever Premiership title and scored decisive goals in both the 2005 FA Community Shield and League Cup Final. Didier came to prominence as one of the world's best strikers in 2006 when he scored 33 goals in all competitions. He was the Premier League top scorer scoring 20 goals in season 2005/06 in which he was awarded with the Barclays Premier League Golden Boot. He also scored the winning goal over Manchester United that season in the first FA Cup final at the new Wembley Stadium.

In January 2007, Didier was crowned the Ivorian Player of the Year and in the March he was named African Footballer of the Year. His performances during the season saw him named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year and runner-up PFA Player of the Year awards.

Didier scored his hundredth goal for Chelsea during their away game against Wigan in September 2009, joining an elite group of players at the club to have managed this feat. He was also voted 2009 BBC African Player of the Year and PFA Fans Player of the Month for December.

INTERNATIONAL CAREER:

In September of 2002 Didier made his first international appearance for the Ivory Coast against South Africa. Didier captained the national team for the first time, in the African Cup of Nations final. It was also that year Côte d'Ivoire qualified for its first ever World Cup; it was in their opening game against Argentina that Didier scored the first ever World Cup goal for his country.

Didier's now scored over 40 internaitonal goals for Cote d'Ivoire and has captained the team for qualification to the 2010 World Cup finals.

PERSONAL:

Didier is married to Lalla and they have three children.

In 2007 he was appointed by the United Nations Development Programme as a Goodwill Ambassador to help create awareness and fight poverty following conflict in the Ivory Coast.

Didier teamed up with Bono, in Novermber 2009, to launch Nike's 'Lace Up, Save Lives' campaign with RED to raise awareness and funds for aids programmes in Africa.