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Didier Drogba ended a 20-year career with teams as diverse as Le Mans, Chelsea, Galatasaray and Phoenix Rising – playing his last 1-0 match against Louisville City FC in early November.
The Ivorian scored 297 goals in 679 club games and 65 in 104 international matches. He is one of the most prolific scorers of the recent period. However, Drogba's journey did not start as an attacker and it turned out that he really had no chance to convert.
Aged 40, the BBC Football Focus explained how he went to France and when he had to stop playing in defense.
"Who would have thought that this Ivorian child would have his banner in the stadium of one of the biggest clubs in Europe?
"It was my dream, I think it was quite an achievement and I am proud of these twenty years of football.When I was young in Ivory Coast, always with his parents, his life was not not difficult, but my uncle who lived in Europe came and went, always brought sweets, footballs or shirts and I would be very curious to see what happens there.
"I was excited to leave the Ivory Coast and go to France until I arrived at the airport and my mother was in tears. I could see the sadness in his face and I realized that this six-year-old boy was going to let his mother and father go to a place that he does not even know and child, I was sad too.
"In 1993, my parents came to France, I started as a right-back and my uncle came to ask me why you play as a right-back, because in the family we only have attackers, you're an attacker so do not play there … no more … When we moved to another city, I came to introduce myself as an attacker that I had never played. I've scored 40 goals this season, I think it's there that it all starts. "
There is no doubt that the club Drogba became synonymous with was Chelsea and this was the beginning of its real success. Indeed, the attacker thinks that Jose Mourinho has changed his life.
Drogba said, "I know Chelsea fans will remember this team and I'm really proud to be part of this special team that wins the first trophy after age 50. I know people will talk about it again.
"Jose Mourinho is a really special person to me and we share a special relationship because when he decided to sign me, he changed my life because he put me in a situation where I could have an impact on my career and he said if you wish, be the best, you have to come play with the best team and one of the best managers in the world, no, the best manager in the world. I did, and the rest is history. "
Despite the joy of his first stint at Chelsea, Drogba noted that the Champions League win in May 2012 on Bayern Munich was the best moment of his career. The Ivorian scored a tying goal in the 88th minute before scoring the penalty.
"I think if it was a movie, I do not know if we could have a better screenplay than this one, I think it was the best moment for me as a player."
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