Didier Drogba went absolutely mental in the Chelsea dressing room after Blues were given the Premier League trophy

Veteran striker played his final match for the club

Tom Sheen
Tuesday 26 May 2015 11:29 BST
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(Getty Images)

Didier Drogba was certainly not going quietly into the night.

The veteran striker was carried off in his final game for the Blues after two stints at the club brought 12 trophies, including four Premier League titles and the Champions League but celebrated longer and harder than pretty much all of his Chelsea team-mates.

Leaving Stamford Bridge as he still wants to play regular football, after Chelsea were handed the Premier League trophy Drogba initally posed for photos with the crown on his head and then took the trophy on a tour around the pitch, even allowing fans to get their hands on it.

Drogba then continued the celebrations into the dressing room, soaking Cesar Azpilicueta in champagne (then handing him a towel) before going after other members of the squad.

'No one is safe' said the caption on Chelsea's Twitter feed - and it appeared that a child was even caught in the cross-fire.

See it unfold:

"It's a difficult moment for me," said Drogba. "This one is really special because it's going to be the last one as a player.

"I want to thank first of all Mr Abramovich, because people keep talking about the amount of money he put in this club but I think it's a great investment looking on all the great years we've had and we've won everything.

"I want to say thank you also to Jose. You know how special he is for me. He gave me the chance to come back and the chance to come to this club.

"I want to say thank you to all my ex-team-mates, all the managers I played for under this shirt and a special thank you for this guy because without him and most of his assists there would not be the Didier Drogba celebration: Frank Lampard, thank you."

Drogba first joined Chelsea from Marseille for £24million in the summer of 2004 and the highly-successful spell ended with the decisive spot penalty in the European Cup win three years ago. After spells with Shanghai Shenhua and Galatasaray, Drogba returned to Chelsea on a free transfer last July, after Lampard had left for Major League Soccer via Manchester City.

This season Drogba has scored seven goals in all competitions and his contribution to the squad has been felt both on and off the pitch. Drogba compared the 2004/05 title-winning team, who delivered Chelsea's first title in 50 years, with the current squad.

"I want to say to the young players you might be the best but you have to catch us," he said.

"Be the best, we're going to be behind you, you have the best fans in the world behind you. Thank you. I love you guys, I love you."

Drogba was captain after John Terry gave up the armband.

He might have scored, too. He was the nominated penalty taker but had been replaced by Diego Costa prior to the spot-kick award.

"The substitution was decided because he has a little problem on his knee," Mourinho said.

"In normal conditions he wouldn't play this game. He did, because it was the last."

Mourinho praised Drogba's input.

"For these players to know him, to train with him, to play with him, to live with him, to share with him I think is fantastic," Mourinho added.

"He was very, very good for these young people, people like Hazard, Willian, Oscar. These people learned from a good example."

Additional reporting from PA

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