Didier Drogba Biography

Didier Drogba Biography

Didier Drogba Biography – Preview
It's said that a great soccer striker will score a goal every two opportunities he has. Then how would this logic rate Didier Drogba, one of today's most famous strikers, who doesn't even need a second chance to score? Regardless, he is a player that emerged on the first pages rather late and a Didier Drogba Biography is in call, especially now, that the player is on the top of his game.

Let's take a look at his rough early life and follow him going up through the ranks of soccer. As you will see in this Drogba biography, he started low and had to work extremely hard to get to where he is today.

Full name Didier Yves Drogba Tebily
Date of birth March 11, 1978
Place of birth Abidjan,Ivory Coast
Height 6.2FT - 1.88M
Playing position Striker

Didier Drogba Biography – Early Career
Born in the Ivory Coast, Didier Drogba didn't have anything brought to him on the silver platter, as his family struggled to give the young boy a proper education in a harsh environment.

Moving to France with his family meant a huge step for Didier, as he was sent to live with his uncle, Michel Goba, who was a professional footballer. His uncle, a striker in the Ivory Coast national team and playing for second division club Brest, introduced the young footballer Drogba to the joy of soccer as well as teaching him a few tips and tricks needed by every striker.

At age 15, Drogba rejoined his family in the town of Levallois, where he took up soccer for the local team's youth club. At age 17, he made his debut in the first squad of the team that played in the fourth French division. Playing at such a low level, when Le Mans, who was playing in the second division at that time, offered him a contract, Didier Drogba immediately signed.

Season Club Games Goals
1998-2002 Le Mans 62 11
2002-2003 En Avant Guingamp 45 20
2003-2004 Olympique de Marseille 35 19
2004-Present Chelsea 91 42

Didier Drogba Biography – Le Mans and Guingamp
Didier Drogba played for four years at Le Mans in the second division and although content with the fact that he was finally having a better life with the modest wage offered by the club, he was hungry for more in regards of soccer.

At age 24, being already considered a mature footballer, Drogba was finally noticed by a first division club, in En Avant Guingamp, who were at that time a mid-table Ligue 1 team.

Being a major breakthrough in his professional career, Guingamp was the perfect setting for a talented footballer such as Drogba to make himself noticed. And that's exactly what happened after only 1 and a half years spent at the club, when Olympique de Marseille, a regular Top 5 team in France, clinched a contract with him.

Years National Team Games Goals
2002-Present Ivory Coast 40 28

Didier Drogba Biography – Olympique de Marseille
It was 2003 and Didier Drogba emerged rather late on the first scene of top European soccer, at age 25. Still, his appetite for goal wouldn't allow him to lay low, even though he reached a comfortable level for any footballer, Marseille being a team that would battle each year for the league and cup, as well as on the European front, in the UEFA Champions League.

The main passion for Drogba, goals, remained his primary target and he managed to score 18 times in 35 matches for Marseille, of which 5 in the UEFA Champions League group stages and another 6 in the following UEFA Cup run.

Didier Drogba © Photo by Free-ers-flickr.com

Age 26, it was the perfect setup for him to step in the light, as he got a contract offer from what is still the most important club in the career of Drogba, Chelsea London. And not just any Chelsea, but Roman Abramovici's Chelsea, a team studded with 24-carat footballers in which many thought that Drogba would have no room.

Didier Drogba Biography – Chelsea
The English Premiership seemed to be the perfect league for Didier Drogba (or was it the other way around?), since the type of soccer played in England fits like a glove on Drogba's qualities: commitment to effort, strength and lots of crosses.

Even though he suffered an injury that would keep him from playing for over 2 months, Drogba managed to score 16 goals in his first season for Chelsea, including another 5 in Champions League, a competition in which Drogba seemed like a fish in water.

Winning the Premiership and the Carling Cup meant a new step for the Ivorian footballer, Drogba tasting the cup of real success for the first time.

Although being helped by a tremendous performance by Drogba, Chelsea didn't manage to win the Champions League trophy, stopping in the finals, they are considered amongst the favorites each year and many (including me), believe that only time separate Chelsea and Drogba from being crowned the kings of Europe.