Gareth Messenger

Didier Drogba became a legend at Chelsea thanks in no small part to a habit of scoring big goals in big games for the club.

The striker won 12 major trophies with the Blues and often stepped up when it mattered most, scoring nine goals in 10 cup finals for the club. Drogba’s journey at Chelsea may not have even existed if it wasn’t for the relentless nature of his soon-to-be manager Jose Mourinho. 

When Mourinho joined beIN SPORTS in January 2019, the former Blues boss told the story of how he played the pivotal role in bringing Drogba to Stamford Bridge. 

According to Mourinho, when he mentioned Drogba to Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner asked: “Who?” 
Mourinho replied: “Mr Abramovich, pay and don’t speak” 

The club’s Russian owner trusted his manager’s judgement and he was rewarded for his investment in the best way possible. Not only had his manager signed a player who needed no second chance for a pop at goal, he also signed the player who would deliver what Abramovich wanted most. 

Drogba proved over his many years at Chelsea why he was the man for a big occasion. After joining in 2004 from Marseille, the Ivorian made an immediate mark on the big stage, scoring in the League Cup final in a 3-2 win over Liverpool. 

Two years later, he was at it again. Scoring both goals in a victory over Arsenal in the 2007 League Cup final. Not surprising given his relentless record against the Gunners, against whom he scored 13 goals in 15 appearances. Later that year Chelsea also won the FA Cup, and yet again Drogba was on hand to win the trophy for Chelsea in a 1-0 win against Manchester United.

 Drogba became the first player to score in three league cup finals despite eventually losing to Tottenham. Further goals followed in the 2009 FA Cup final (2-1 win against Everton), 2010 FA Cup final (1-0 win against Portsmouth), and the 2012 FA Cup final (2-1 win against Liverpool). 

For all of Drogba's impressive goalscoring in finals, Chelsea still lacked that one great prize. The UEFA Champions League. While Drogba’s legacy in West London will long be remembered for his sheer volume of goals in which he won a total of four Premier League titles, that night in Munich will forever be Drogba’s night. 

After Bayern Munich went ahead late on, Chelsea European dream was in tatters. That was until Drogba came to play. Juan Mata’s fizzing corner landed straight on the head of the towering Ivorian who thundered his header past a hapless Manuel Neuer could do to little to stop it. 

Just when you couldn’t think the evening could get anymore topsy-turvy. The hero was quickly the zero. Drogba’s clumsy challenge in his own area was punished. Penalty Bayer, penalty missed, Drogba relieved. 

The final ultimately went to penalties, and the Ivorian coolly dispatched the winning spot-kick to win Chelsea their first and only European Cup. It was the perfect farewell for Drogba, who was moving onto pastures new. 

“It could have been a movie and it’s something I will never forget.”

Such is the strength of Drogba’s affection with Chelsea that he wanted one final throw of the dice to etch his already iconic name in the history books even more.

After spells with Shanghai Shenhua and Galatasaray, Drogba returned to Chelsea, to play again under Jose Mourinho.  This was not a final swansong. This was business. 

Mourinho said: “He is coming with the mentality to make more history.” Drogba duly did, winning the 2014-15 Premier League title, winning the League Cup, making his 350th appearance for Chelsea, and scoring his 50th goal in European football, and ending his Premier League goals tally on 104. 

His second farewell was arguably more iconic than his first. In his final game as a boy in blue, Drogba was injured and carried off the pitch by his teammates as he’d been through one almighty war. He lost many battles in his time at Stamford Bridge, but he won that war. 

As Zlatan Ibrahimovic said to describe himself once upon a time: “I came as a legend, left as a king” 

It’d be fair to say we can apply that same saying to Chelsea’s very own man for the big occasion, also.