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Didier Drogba has been selected to receive the 2020 UEFA President\u2019s Award.<\/p>\nDidier Drogba has been selected to receive the 2020 UEFA President\u2019s Award.<\/p>\n
The former Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker was hailed as a \u201cpioneer\u201d by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.<\/p>\n
Drogba fired Chelsea\u2019s winning penalty in the 2012 Champions League final shoot-out, steering the Blues to four Premier League titles and as many FA Cup triumphs across nine years in two Stamford Bridge spells.<\/p>\n
The 42-year-old recently failed in a bid for the Ivory Coast presidency, but has a thriving charitable foundation and is now aiming to move into football administration.<\/p>\n
\u201cDidier is a hero to millions of football fans for his achievements throughout his glittering playing career,\u201d said Ceferin.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is a leader \u2013 a pioneer. I will remember him as a player for his skill, strength and intelligence, but above all for his insatiable appetite to succeed \u2013 a trait which is just as present in his desire to help others off the field of play.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe UEFA Champions League has become the greatest club competition in the world, partly due to our clubs being able to attract the best players from around the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been lucky to have seen the likes of George Weah, Samuel Eto\u2019o and Didier Drogba play at the very highest level. They in turn, have blazed a trail for African footballers and have given inspiration to a whole new generation to look to follow in their footsteps.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drogba will collect his award at Thursday\u2019s Champions League draw in Geneva.<\/p>\n
He racked up 164 goals in 381 appearances in a trophy-laden Chelsea career, while also helping his country to three World Cup tournaments.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo have won a Champions League, to have played and scored for my country at a World Cup \u2013 these are things I could only have dreamed of when I was a child,\u201d said Drogba.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are so many children in the developing world who have the potential to become not only footballers, but also doctors, teachers and engineers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is why it is so important to help and support our youngsters to let them fulfil their dreams and aspirations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Balancing his charity work with studying for UEFA\u2019s executive master for international players (MIP) program, Drogba continued: \u201cI had been thinking, \u2018how can I keep having the same impact without playing, without using my physique, my legs and my heart?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best way was to use my brain and think about how to stay in football and go into administration.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is why I am here \u2013 to get all the tools and skills needed to improve not only as a person but as an ambitious man who wants to contribute to the development of football.\u201d<\/p>\n