Drogba Retires From football

Drogba Retires From football By: Francis Joseph Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has confirmed his retirement from playing, ending "an amazing 20 years" in football career,BSNSports.com.ng reports. The Ivory Coast striker, 40, had two spells at Chelsea, scoring 164 goals in 381 games. He spent the last 18 months of his career with US side Phoenix Rising, the club he co-owns. "After 20 years, I have decided to put an end to my playing career," he told BBC World Service's Sportshour. It had been expected Drogba would retire after the United Soccer League Cup final earlier this month, with his last game a 1-0 defeat by Louisville City in the final of the United States' second tier. "It's the best way to end, helping some young talent to develop," he said. "To give something back to the game was the best way to finish as I have learned so much in the game." Drogba did not play top-flight football until the age of 23, when French side Guingamp signed him from Ligue 2 Le Mans in January 2002. He moved to Marseille 18 months later - and the following year completed a reported £24m move to Chelsea, where he had the best spell of his career winning the Premier League title four times, four FA Cups, two League Cups and the 2012 UEFA Champions League. Didier Drogba won the premier league golden booth in 2006/07 and 2009/10 season Drogba who played in three World Cup tournament with Ivory Coast scored 65 goals in 105 appearances for the national side. Didier Drogba also played for Galatasaray in turkey, spent six months in China with Shanghai shenhua before moving to the MLS, joining Montreal Impact and later joined Phoenix Rising which he co-owns.