According to a study done by Opta and Eurosport, Chelsea FC legend Didier Drogba has been crowned the Premier League’s best African player. Ever.
With the Ivory Coast and Ghana having battled it out in an intense African Cup of Nations Finale, Opta — a sporting statistics giant — compiled a list of the top ten African players to ever grace the English top flight. The Ivorian topped the list and for good reason.
Since coming to Stamford Bridge in 2004, at the same time as current Blues manager Jose Mourinho, Drogba, along with John Terry, Frank Lampard, and Petr Cech, led Chelsea FC to their most successful run in the club’s history.
Didier spearheaded the Blues to three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, two Community Shields, and one Champions League trophy, scoring the two goals that won Chelsea their most coveted piece of silverware. His most famous goal will always be the equalizer in the dying moments of the final and the image of his penalty will last forever in the hearts and minds of Chelsea fans everywhere.
So far in his first season since returning to the club the 36-year-old striker from Abidjan has amassed three goals and one assist in eighteen league games — only three of which saw Drogba in the starting eleven. He’s added two goals in one assist in Champions League play, as well. He’s not been exactly the same player as the one who left in 2012 for China, but nobody really thought he would be. Considering the circumstances, Drogba is doing well for the club as he sees out the last of his playing days.
A coaching role at Cobham is what awaits him after retirement but the wily veteran isn’t ready to hang up his boots just yet. Drogba is looking to play at least one more year before taking the next step in his career, and who can blame him? A player with such an illustrious resume doesn’t make that kind mark on world football by adhering to the limits of others and Didier has never been a player known for giving in.
Sooner or later, though, Chelsea will need to look for replacements and Diego Costa is currently carrying the torch phenomenally. Yet, Drogba isn’t getting any younger and the Blues will need to fill the soon-to-be-vacant void in one way or another — did anyone say Alexandre Lacazette? Regardless, King Didier Drogba is the best African player in the Premier League and deserves every accolade that comes his way.