He is a legendary player in Marseille and his story has been passed down throughout Ligue 1. He is Chelsea's magic beast, and Stamford Bridge still has his "slippery three bars". He is a national hero of Côte d'Ivoire, and his name resounds throughout the African continent. He was Didier Drogba. One nickname given to him by Chinese fans is "Warcraft", and perhaps you are more familiar with another, "Andy Lau of Africa".
Born in Côte d'Ivoire on 11 March 1978, Drogba grew up living with his parents on the outskirts of Abidjan, the largest city in Côte d'Ivoire. Drogba had an uncle named Michel goba. is a footballer who lives in France. He visited Drogba's house every year, and both his uncle and aunt loved Drogba. He often talks to him about football and things in France. Drogba's favorite thing to do is listen to his uncle tell about football and dream of going to France. The parents of the uncle Team Drogba proposed to take Drogba to live in France, and although the parents were reluctant to do so, they still hoped that Drogba would be able to get ahead and agreed to Uncle Goba's request. So the five-year-old Drogba stepped on a plane to France.
But in the early days of life in France, Drogba's memories were not good, and he not only had to adapt to the new environment but also needed to make new friends. But because of the color of his skin, many children are reluctant to play with him, and even joke about his skin, which deeply hurts his young heart. He could only talk to the teacher during recess. He was lonely. Due to the delay in his uncle's guardian application, Drogba had to return to Côte d'Ivoire, which made Drogba happy. Finally he could go back to his parents. He never left his parents again. Back in Côte d'Ivoire, Drogba had a happy childhood. According to Drogba, it was his happiest childhood, playing with his siblings. Play together. Watch the sea together.
A year later, his uncle's guardianship application came down, and Drogba left his country and his parents again, this time he was even more sad, because he knew that this time was different from the last time. He was wandering, afraid of that loneliness and rejection. But when he came to France again. Although it is still a little uncomfortable, but football has changed everything, when playing football, he experiences friendship, experiences equality, here regardless of skin color and country, only football. He would go to his uncle's game and wear his uncle's jersey. His uncle was his idol. The passion for football is also growing.
Drogba played as a defender in the local junior team and later moved to several small clubs. In 1991, at the age of 13, Drogba came to Vannes. Soon took a place in the team. At this point Drogba realized he could support himself by playing football. He then joined Levallois Perret on the outskirts of Paris. Although he is not very old, Drogba's physical fitness is quite good. It's also here to enrich its own technology. In 1997, at the age of 19, Drogba came to Paris Saint-Germain for a trial, but Paris did not accept him. But Drogba still received a professional contract from Ligue 2 side Le Mans.
After five years of ups and downs at Le Mans, the team was promoted and relegated. Drogba was also plagued by injuries and scored 15 goals in 72 appearances during his tenure. At this time, Drogba is also faced with a choice, that is, which national team to represent. After talking to his uncle, Drogba is determined to fight for Côte d'Ivoire, a decision that means that he has no chance of the Hercules Cup, but it is also destined to be a hero in the hearts of the Ivorian people. In 2002 Drogba moved to Guingamp. Ridiculous transfer fee of 100,000 euros. In the 2001-2002 season, he scored three Ligue 1 goals and helped the team relegate. The full 2002-2003 seasons of Drogba and Maruda formed a forward pairing, with Drogba scoring 17 goals in 34 league games. It made the Ligue 1 scene shine. The match against Paris, Ronaldinho, came out and couldn't match Drogba's double score. Guingamp reversed 3-2.
The excellent performance attracted the olive branch of Marseille, and the seven million euros Drogba came to the Velodrome Stadium as he wished, and shined in Marseille Drogba. Often rely on their strong body to eat the opposing defender to score beautiful goals. Enjoying football in Marseille drogba, he thought he had made his home in Marseille all his life. Until the appearance of a man, Mourinho.
Drogba's classic moments are many, many, and the most popular thing for fans is the feud with Arsenal, who has played Arsenal 16 times in his career and scored 16 goals. Well-deserved Arsenal nemesis. The most unforgettable thing is to take away the victory while also destroying Arsenal defender Sendros.
In 2005 the Community Shield met arsenal and Chelsea. This is also Drogba's battle of the gods, and of course, It is also The Nightmare of Sendros. In the opening 8 minutes, Drogba received a pass from his teammate and leaned on Sendros to force the ball to stop the goal, the whole action was completed in one go, Sendros did not lose position and the latter made a mistake, but Drogba's unreasonable body crushed, making the first contribution for the Blues.
But the Swiss defender's nightmare is not over, 57 minutes of high-altitude ball scramble to form a one-knife opportunity for Drogba, the returning Defense Oferos hands and feet can not stop Drogba, after getting rid of the Swiss, Drogba and then past goalkeeper Leman, and then in the scramble to win Arsenal's other defender Lauren, and finally shoot the goal, Drogba single-handedly singled out the entire Arsenal defense. Such goals and processes, there is no other word to describe them than brutality. In the end, Chelsea beat Arsenal 2-1.
The game is over, but arsenal and Sendros' nightmare isn't over yet. Two weeks later, Chelsea and Arsenal played again in the Premier League. It was Drogba who forced Sendros to catch the ball to complete the goal to help Chelsea take all three points, which is highly similar to the first two weeks ago. Unreasonable.
Heraclitus said that one would not step into the same river twice, but Sendros told the world that he could step into the raging river of Drogba again and again. The nightmare of the 2007 League Cup was played out again, with Arsenal facing Chelsea in the final. Sendros faces Drogba. Warcraft took over the game again to help the Blues win 2-1. The goal that sealed the win in the 84th minute was again a strong pressure on Sendros. After this goal was conceded, Sendros could not get up on the field for a long time, and perhaps his confidence as a defender was destroyed at this moment.
When Drogba didn't ask what he thought of his arsenal killer title after retiring, he said he didn't know it, and it was comfortable to play with Arsenal. Presumably this is the doomed nemesis.
Looking back at Drogba's first entry into the Premier League, he faces great difficulties, the new arena, even if he is super physically strong, but in the Premier League himself will inevitably be nervous, in an unfamiliar environment, he also faces Henry, Fanny's unique double pride. In the face of media criticism, it was Mourinho who stood firmly by the side of Warcraft. Tell people to wait until Drogba leaves Chelsea to evaluate him. After that, it was as if he had found his own Drogba and began the invincible British years. It also has the title of Warcraft.
Whether under Mourinho or under Hiddink, Ancelotti, Boas, Grant, Scolari, Wilkins and other managers, Drogba is unshakable. Despite Chelsea's many superstars coming and going on the front line, young players such as Crespo, Shepchenko, Pizarro, Anelka, Torres and later Lukaku. But everyone knows that only Drogba is the answer to Chelsea's striker.
From 2012 to 2014, Drogba and Chelsea parted ways. Coming to the Chinese Super League to join Shanghai Shenhua, because of many problems such as contracts, Drogba's time in the Chinese Super League was very short, but he still made 11 appearances for Shenhua efficiently, contributing 8 goals and 2 assists.
After leaving the Chinese Super League, Drogba came to Turkey to join Galatasaray. He also followed the team back to Stamford Bridge in the round of 16 of the 2012-2014 Champions League, where Blues fans unfurled banners in the stands: "Drogba, Legend." "King of the Blue Bridge, Drogba forever." They welcomed Drogba to the fullest. At this time, Drogba looked at everything in the stands, so kind and familiar, as if he had never left, and like a wandering prodigal son returning to his home. At that moment in the Stamford Bridge sky, the air was warm. Even a tough guy like Drogba. I was also moved by it.
A few months later Chelsea gave him a one-year contract. The 36-year-old Monster returned to the Blues to continue his campaign in the Premier League. Chelsea, who were already crowned Premier League champions on 24 May 2015, arranged a farewell and thanks for Drogba in the final round of the Premier League. The starter, wearing the captain's armband, received applause as he was replaced on the 29th minute, and the crowd cheered and thundered, and his teammates carried Drogba on his shoulders again and again, just as Drogba once again and again held the Blues on his shoulders. Complete the handover of the times.
After that, Drogba went to play in the United States, and at the age of forty, he was still able to exert his residual heat, becoming the most threatening attack point for Montreal.com. In November 2018, he led the Phoenix to the MLB Finals, regrettably lost, and went to the sidelines to comfort the fans not to cry, but he was about to say goodbye to his career, and his heart was not like tears. I didn't say goodbye, but I turned around and disappeared.
Anyone familiar with Drogba should know that Drogba has two complexes in his life. The first is the motherland. In France he had hopes of winning the World Cup, but he still firmly chose to fight for Côte d'Ivoire. The second complex is the mentor Mourinho.
Before joining Chelsea, Drogba spent his career in France. In Ligue 1, in fact, Drogba has only played three seasons in Ligue 1, but the best striker voted by Ligue 1 fans is Drogba, which is enough to prove that French fans affirm and love Drogba. However, The competitiveness of Ligue 1 is limited, and Ligue 1 players are not very popular in the transfer market. Therefore, Drogba is in the limelight in Ligue 1 but not much of a European giant. All of this was changed after Chelsea brandished Ligue 1 with money, after Mourinho took over the Blues, to be precise.
Marseille, who played In the 2003-2004 Champions League, Derogba met Mourinho's Porto in the group stage. Despite Mourinho's victory at Marseille's home stadium, Drogba impressed the man, and the madman approached Drogba directly after the game and said to him: "You have to play for me if you want to achieve more in your career, I can't afford you now, and when I have money, I will buy you." ”
Drogba didn't pay much attention at the time, and Marseille was the team he dreamed of joining as a child, and he had no intention of leaving. But at this time, the warcraft should not have thought that this man led Porto to win the Champions League this season, and everything seems to be not so absolute. With Mourinho joining the Blues, the Madman's first signing list for Abu was Drogba. At that time, Abu asked Mourinho, who is Drogba? Where did you play football? Mourinho responded directly to Abu: Mr. Abu, you don't have to say more, just pay!
So Drogba joined the Blues. When the media interviewed Drogba about what made him leave his beloved Club marseille, Drogba answered only one name: Mourinho!
Chelsea Drogba in the First Period of Mu was the team's bridgehead and siege hammer. Helping the team compete for the first drop point, the second drop point has Lampard, who is very good at grabbing the second drop point to complete the attack. So Drogba's goal efficiency here has decreased compared to Marseille, but Mourinho still has a lot of trust in Drogba. Drogba has also become the premier league's most tactical striker. Under Mourinho, Drogba went from an unknown young man unknown to Abu into a legend at Stamford Bridge.
It is also this mentor-apprentice relationship that When Mourinho entered the Blues, Drogba also returned to Stamford Bridge to help his mentor win the Premier League title again, completing the perfect ending at Stamford Bridge. Achieve a mentor-apprentice story in the history of football.
In an interview with Marca, Drogba talked about the most wonderful moment of his career, which was the winning penalty in the 2012 Champions League final. That year's Champions League was Drogba's pinnacle. Chelsea's Champions League trip that year is hard to describe in words, with the mid-season replacement of manager Boas and rookie coach Di Matteo temporarily regularising. The first leg of the Champions League round of 16 was lost 3-1 to Napoli, and morale was once low, so that the outside world did not have any hope for them. However, Drogba and the Blues did not concede defeat, and the Monster led Chelsea to launch a Jedi counterattack at home, scoring a goal 4-1 Drogba and the team reversed the promotion. Then there was Benfica and Barcelona. Reached the final of the Champions League. A red card on a rainy night in Moscow four years ago filled Drogba with regret and remorse. He vowed to bring the Blues back to the Champions League final, and now he and his teammates have done so. Standing on the opposite side of all this is Bayern, who is sitting on the "home advantage".
The game continued to simmer until Müller's goal in the 83rd minute drove the Allianz stadium crazy, when the goal made fans think it was directly killing the game. But in the 88th minute Drogba hero descended with a header and equalized in color.
As soon as the monster comes out, who can stop it. After extra time, neither side was able to kill the match. The game enters a brutal penalty shootout. Cech saved Schweinstegger's penalty in the fifth round, at which point the aggregate score was 3-3. The last Drogba to score could win the title. Drogba admitted afterwards that he was thinking of a spoon penalty when he walked to the penalty spot. But the desire to win and the heaviness of the championship led him to choose a steady approach. Tricked Neuer into ending the game.
Drogba, whose contract expired at the end of the season, thought it was his Blues' closing performance. The magic beast who did not give up this period of time danced at the Allianz Stadium with the trophy, which was the most perfect farewell in his heart at that time. In this Champions League trip, whether it is the cliff stop with Napoli, the revenge battle with Barca, or the final final battle, Drogba has scored goals, which is the absolute hero of the Blues.
But what Drogba can't let go of most in his heart is his native Côte d'Ivoire. Although he went to France to play football at the age of 5 and had the opportunity to become a member of the French national team, Warcraft has always been an Ivorian in his heart. He was always eager to give his all to his ancestors. You have to know that the country of Côte d'Ivoire is against corruption. Warlord melee. The country is in turmoil. This is the real life of this country. Not as beautiful as Ivory Coast, the famous name of Côte d'Ivoire. In 2005, Drogba led Côte d'Ivoire to a historic World Cup final. The country is still in the midst of a civil war. The political fu army and the rebel jun confronted each other in the north and south. In order not to let the people suffer from the war, Drogba led all his teammates in the locker room to face the national live broadcast and called for the end of the war.
Finally, at the call of Drogba and his teammates, the two sides met to join forces to cheer for the World Cup trip in Côte d'Ivoire. Although the team's poor results in the World Cup failed to show up. But this is a firm step towards peace for the country of Côte d'Ivoire. The World Cup-over Drogba took the lead in proposing that the Matches between Côte d'Ivoire and Madagascar in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers be placed on rebel turf. The proposal was bold, but both sides accepted it.
And so the scene that touched the world appeared. Côte d'Ivoire won the match with the joint shouts of both opposing sides. Drogba left the stadium like a hero surrounded by soldiers. At that moment, the warcraft was undoubtedly a national hero. Although Drogba alone cannot really quell a country's wars and problems. But through the bond of football, he united the people of the country. His name shines brightly on the road to peace. Drogba also goes beyond football and has a great influence in Côte d'Ivoire.
After retiring, the Warcraft gradually faded out of the football world. Chelsea had offered him to return to the team as a coach but Drogba refused because of his country. He has always been passionate about football in Côte d'Ivoire. Schools were built to fund players to go to France for professional training. Drogba also did not deny that he would enter politics or even become a leader like Giorgio Wea, but Drogba, who had just entered the political arena, was still just a rookie, and he did not win a vote for the FA president Xi. But judging from his actions, he wants to march into the political tan and achieve national peace.
If one day we don't see Warcraft in CCTV5 but in CCTV1, don't be surprised, that's what he's always wanted. Help your own country.