1) DIDIER DROGBA, Chelsea’s best striker of the Roman Abramovich era
Drogba moved to Chelsea for a then record fee of 24 million from French Club Marseille in Roman Abrahimovich’s second year and Jose Mourinho’s first year in charge of the Club.
Mourinho was said to have preferred Drogba to Ronaldinho when he was given the choice to sign any player in the entire world.
Drogba did take a while to get going with Chelsea but very few players have been as influential as the Ivorian was. He made 381 appearances for the club, scoring 164 goals and providing 87 assists.
Drogba was never a goal machine, as in he only managed to score 20 or more goals for the club in the league during the 2009-10 season. That season, he scored 29 goals in the league and 37 overall while providing 16 assists.
What makes Didier Drogba the best striker to play for the club was his knack for performing in the biggest games. Drogba had that aura, and as long as he was on the pitch, the team could win the game. No moment symbolizes him better than his last-minute goal against Bayern Munich to take the team into extra time in 2012. Drogba then went on to score the winning penalty.
The teams’ recent struggles in the FA Cup were non-existent when Drogba played. The striker was the king of Wembley and always scored in finals. He won four Premier Leagues, four FA Cups, three League Cups, and one Champions League. Drogba was the ultimate striker, scoring goals from all over the pitch, and perhaps, just perhaps no one will ever match his brilliance up front for the club.
Didier Drogba is the main man associated with the Blues‘ rise in European football and was not only a fan favourite on the pitch but of it as well. Overall, Drogba led the line with powerful play for numerous years and will forever be remembered in Chelsea’s hearts.