Avellon Williams
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO- It is no secret that Didier Drogba is admired by millions of people across the globe. In the eyes of many die-hard Chelsea Football Club fans, he is the only football legend with an unmistakable passion for the club. Like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Blues fans love him as much as Real Madrid and Barcelona fans do.
Didier Drogba was born on March 11, 1978, in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, as Didier Yves Drogba Tébily. As a nickname, he is called ‘Tito’, which means ‘giant’.
In the mid-1970s, two Ivorian junior bankers fell in love and gave birth to him.
When Didier Drogba was a child, he lived in a harsh village where harsh conditions prevailed. Hunger plagued his early life, which ravaged him and his family.
As a result of this economic situation, thousands of Ivorians fled their country for greener pastures in France. The French at that time were seen as refugee destinations for the Ivorian migrants.
Malnutrition limited Didier Drogba’s physical and mental development during his childhood.
In the early days of his life, his parents (Albert and Clotilde Drogba) struggled with their local banking jobs because they could not feed their families.
The only hope they had was to wait for monies promised by a French relative and footballer (Michel Goba).
Due to hardships in the native Ivory Coast, Michel Goba was among the first migrants to flee to France.
It was expected that the money he donated would be used to aid Didier’s journey to France, which had been planned since he was a young boy at the age of 5.
‘Michel Goba’, Didier Drogba’s uncle, was believed to have escaped his country to land a job in France.
Football was his first love and he settled at a lower-division club called Stade Brestois 29. Many black refugee footballers were absorbed by France at that time.
The decision to travel abroad
Apart from sending money, Michel Goba (Drogba’s uncle) also hoped to visit Didier and take him with him to France.
However, Michel Goba’s trip to Ivory Coast was cut short when France denies him a visa. As a result, he was left with only one option: sending monies for visa processing for one individual.
As a result of much debate, the family decided that little Didier would have to go to France on his own. Didier was afraid of traveling alone. As a poor little boy who had never seen a plane or entered one, it was a strange journey.
During Didier’s departure, his parents attached a label to his neck that read; ‘DIDIER DROGBA TO MEETS MICHEL GOBA IN PARIS‘.
As soon as Drogba arrived in France, he was met at Charles de Gaulle Airport by his uncle waiting patiently for him.
Difficult Start to Life in France
In the months after Didier Drogba arrived in France, his parents, who were still in the Ivory Coast, decided that their son should concentrate on academics and not become a footballer like his uncle.
Goba, however, held a different view. His goal was to make Didier a professional footballer like him. The signing of young Didier to a French football academy was facilitated by Michel Goba.
Goba and Didier’s parents disagreed on several occasions about Didier’s future.
In the end, a resolution was reached. A decision was made to allow Didier Drogba to combine football with academics.
As a result, Didier Drogba had to withdraw from the football academy and became a member of the junior football team at his school.
A little football was mixed in with academics at this point.
As soon as Didier Drogba spent some time in France with his uncle, he became uneasy. Soon after he arrived in France, he became homesick.
‘I remember my early life in France. I cried every day. Not because I was in France – I could have been anywhere – but because I was so far, far away from my parents. I missed them so much.’
Didier Drogba gave up on France after only three years, still a young man. In his bold words, he expressed his desire to return to Ivory Coast to be with his parents.
Didier’s uncle angrily granted his wish after observing he could no longer resist. Money was given and a flight was booked for him. As a result, Didier Drogba returned home to Abidjan to be with his parents.
Leaving France for Africa
At the age of 8, Didier Drogba returned to his native country. As he returned, Ivory Coast was still in the throes of economic collapse.
His parents were unable to pay his school fees at one point due to financial hardship. Didier had to stop his education as a result of this.
In some way, Didier Drogba got involved with local football at some point. Taking part in football training with his friends at nearby fields became a regular occurrence for him. As a child, he did this every day for three years until he was 11 years old.
Didier Drogba’s parents lost their jobs when he was 11 years old. It was too hot to bear the downturn of the Ivory Coast’s economy this time.
With regrets over allowing their son to leave France, Didier Drogba’s parents shamefully sought assistance from Michel Goba once more. Eventually, Didier Drogba admitted he had made a mistake by leaving France.
He was fortunate to have Uncle Michel Goba respond and send money to Didier Drogba so he could visit France again.
The Second Coming to France
After his second trip to France, Uncle Michel Goba still respected his parents’ wishes for him to continue his studies. It was Goba’s decision to send Didier Drogba to school. Furthermore, he taught him all the necessary soccer antics.
Didier played youth football as a right back due to his academic pursuits.
In 1993, his uncle Michel Goba introduced him to Levallois SP, a youth football club. Didier Drogba’s football paperwork was handled by him.
Drogba’s Football Paperwork (Age 14) was followed by his Le Mans youth football career.
At this time, Didier Drogba was studying at high school while also playing part-time football.
As a result of his high school education, he pursued a degree in Accounting at the University of Maine. Le Mans allowed him to combine his education and football.
Drogba was more interested in finishing his accounting degree before going full-time into football.
After completing his accounting degree at the age of 21, Didier decided to focus fully on football. The first thing he worked on was his ability to play attacking roles.
The hard work he put in earned him a transfer to Guingamp in 2002, where he helped the club avoid relegation.
It was this accolade that also led to him being transferred to Marseille for the 2003-04 season, in which he won the French Ligue 1 Player of the Year award after scoring 19 goals in 35 games.
Several Europe’s top clubs had expressed interest in the 26-year-old after he reached his athletic prime, and Chelsea acquired him in 2004 for a transfer fee of about $36 million. It’s all history from there!
Most Decorated African Footballer
Having made his first appearance for the Ivory Coast team in 2002, Didier Drogba has been loved by the whole of Africa. Many pundits consider him the most decorated African footballer of all time. ‘Thanks to Chelsea FC’. Among his accomplishments, he has won two African Footballer of the Year awards (2006 and 2009).
Didier Drogba Stopping a Civil War
Peers and fans often call the Soccer Legend ‘The Champion of Peace.’
Drogba was rated among Time Magazine’s ‘100 most influential people in the world’ for persuading his countrymen to stop what would have been a CIVIL WAR.
He took advantage of his popularity in his home country during the Civil War to use it for good.
Didier Drogba led the Elephants in prayers for peace after a World Cup qualifying match in 2006, when Ivory Coast was ravaged by civil war.
Moreover, he organized a team statement calling for the end of the war. Among armed groups in the country, this effort was credited with bringing about a cease-fire.
The move brought immediate peace to all aggrieved cultural leaders in his country. A Post-Civil war that would have killed thousands was avoided.
The national teammates of Didier Drogba truly understand the meaning of togetherness. Their nature is unique and cannot be compared to any other African national team.
Their reasoning is logical, and they act as if they are brothers. All affairs are centered around Didier Drogba, who is perceived as the King.
Didier Drogba enjoys taking his wife and children to luxurious yacht holidays.
It’s without a doubt that memories of him will last a lifetime, despite the end of his Chelsea career.
