Is Jamie Vardy better than Chelsea legend Didier Drogba?

Conclusion

If I haven’t made my stance known just yet (being facetious, of course), it’ll become even more obvious in the following paragraphs. Drogba’s advantage over Vardy is clear due to the fact he’s given the nod in more than just stats. If you’re so inclined, go on the web browser of your choice and spend the next hour or so clicking on every list of top Premier League strikers of all-time that you can find. Chances are Drogba will be ranked higher than Vardy in just about every—if not every, outright—article you stumble upon. There are reasons for that. While there are a lot of Chelsea fans out there, it’s not only the Blues supporters that rate and respect Drogba’s career.

The legendary Ivorian quite literally changed the way the striker position was played at the time. In an era where the 4-4-2 was the go-to formation for nearly every successful manager in the sport, Drogba showed clubs that playing with just one recognized striker was possible. Scratch that, he proved to them that they could thrive with a lone No. 9, not just survive. Drogba had the perfect skillset required to be an all-around, world class striker.

Whether you call him “The African King” or “Mr. Wembley”, both nicknames epitomize the forward’s career. Drogba struck fear into opponents—so much so that rivals still have the occasional nightmare about the Chelsea legend. He terrorized defenses at every turn, whether it be with his lethal strikes or his unique hold-up play. Drogba also developed a knack for turning up whenever needed. The Blues relied on their ruthless striker to bail them out on numerous occasions, and they also turned to him when the lights shined brightest. Look no further than the famous 2012 Champions League final in Munich to see the best example of this.

In the end, when comparing these two players, it’s not particularly close. Drogba and Vardy’s stats are somewhat similar overall—with the Foxes talisman having a slight advantage in the Premier League—and their greatness cannot be overstated. However, Drogba’s impact on the game of football is immeasurable. It’s because of this that the Chelsea legend sits at least a tier above the likes of Vardy when discussing all-time greats in English football.

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