Thursday, November 11, 2010

Drogba - one of best centre forwards

Name: Didier Yves Drogba Tébily
Club: Chelsea (Eng)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Ivory Coast
Date of Birth: March 11, 1978
Height: 188 cm

Strengths: Aerial prowess and power; there are few players in the world as strong.

Weaknesses: Temperament, propensity to dive and over-exaggerate tackles and confrontations.

 Style: Robust, bustling centre forward who harasses his markers. But he is excellent with the ball on the deck and a strong finisher with the ability to use both feet.

Club Career

1998-2002 : Le Mans

Undoubtedly one of the best centre forwards in the world, Drogba still manages to polarise opinion with his theatrical and temperamental style of play taking the shine off the powerful striker's incredible talent. Drogba moved from his native Ivory Coast to France in 1988, living with his uncle in order to pursue a career in football. He started his career at Dunkirk before moving to Abbeville, Levallois and Le Mans.

2002-2003 : En Avant Guingamp

But it was after a move to Guingamp that he really began to catch the attention, netting 17 goals in their 2002-03 Ligue 1 campaign before signing for Marseille.

2003-2004 : 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 19 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.

2004- Present: Chelsea

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.  Chelsea and Jose Mourinho then came knocking and smashed the British transfer record for a striker, paying £24 million for his services in 2004.  

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, believe that only time separate Chelsea and Drogba from being crowned the kings of Europe.

No comments: