Didier Drogba returns to Chelsea: The Ivorian striker's Stamford Bridge highlights

The legendary striker is back for a second spell in west London

Matt Mundy
Friday 25 July 2014 18:37 BST
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Drogba celebrates scoring Chelsea's crucial equaliser during Saturday's Champions League final
Drogba celebrates scoring Chelsea's crucial equaliser during Saturday's Champions League final

With the news that Didier Drogba has returned to West London on a one-year deal, Chelsea fans will be excited at the prospect of seeing a club legend back playing at Stamford Bridge.

Drogba left in 2012 for Shanghai Shenhua after eight successful years before moving to Galatasaray in 2013 for a year and a half, but the Ivorian couldn’t resist the chance to work with the man who first signed him in 2004 for £24m.

So why has Jose Mourinho re-signed Drogba? Here’s a look back at his Chelsea highlights...

First League title

In his first season at Chelsea, Drogba helped Chelsea win their first league title in 50 years scoring 16 goals in the process.

Injury kept him out for two months of the campaign, but that didn’t prevent the Blues storming to glory with a record point’s total of 95.

League Cup Win

Drogba was the hero for Chelsea in the League Cup Final against Arsenal in 2007, when Mourinho’s men came from 1-0 down to win 2-1 at the Millennium Stadium.

Theo Walcott put Arsenal ahead but two goals from Drogba sealed the win in a fiery match which saw John Obi Mikel sent off for Chelsea and Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor sent off for the Gunners.

FA Cup winner

The first FA Cup final win at the new Wembley went to Chelsea and another Didier Drogba goal was the difference in 2007.

Chelsea played Manchester United and Drogba was on hand to win the game in extra time.

2008 Champions League Semi-Final

Another Drogba highlight was his two goals against Liverpool in the second leg of the Champions League Semi-Final which capped a wonderful performance from Drogba.

Rafa Benitez accused him of diving in the first leg but he made the headlines for the right reasons at Stamford Bridge with two goals to send Chelsea to a first Champions League Final in Moscow.

They would face Manchester United and end up losing on penalties.

2009 FA Cup Final

Chelsea faced Everton in the FA Cup final and after going a goal down – Louis Saha the scorer for the Toffies – Drogba replied with an equalising goal at a crucial time.

Saha scored in the first minute of the game and Drogba’s equaliser came in the 20th minute to put the Blues on their way to a second FA Cup in three years.

2010 FA Cup Final

Keeping up his exemplary record of scoring in the big matches – and more importantly in Finals - Drogba scored the winner against Portsmouth in the FA Cup final to help Chelsea complete the double.

Not only was it a year of team success but individual success for the Ivorian who won the golden boot that year.

Among all-time record scorers

Drogba scored his 99th Premier League goal for Chelsea on 25 February 2012, in a 3–0 win over Bolton Wanderers which was also his 151st goal for Chelsea, moving him up to 4th among the club's all-time goalscorers.

Placing him ahead of Roy Bentley and Peter Osgood it is the position he remains in on 157 goals.

100 Premier League goal

Drogba scored his 100th Premier League goal for Chelsea against Stoke City on 10 March 2012 in a 1-0 win.

Chelsea football club player Didier Drogba holds the Champions League and FA Cup

2012 Champions League Final

Drogba’s proudest and most memorable night in a Chelsea shirt came in Munich on 19 May 2012.

Connecting with Juan Mata’s corner in the 88 minute, Drogba equalised to send the game to extra-time and then penalties, before scoring the winning penalty in a 4-3 shoot-out win – his last act in a Chelsea shirt

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