Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has signed for Major League Soccer side Montreal Impact. The 37-year-old left Stamford Bridge this summer after playing 381 games and winning four Premier League titles across two spells with the London club.
Drogba is the Ivory Coast’s all-time top scorer, with 65 goals in 105 international appearances.
According to BBC Sports, the Montreal president Joey Saputo said the signing made it “one of the biggest days in club history”.
“It’s an honour to welcome Didier Drogba to the Impact. From the first conversation I had with him, I felt that he really wanted to play in Montreal. His arrival will be beneficial in every aspect.” He added.
Drogba will be a designated player at the Canadian side, which means his wages will not be restricted by the MLS salary cap.
Impact, MLS members since 2012, finished bottom of the table last season.
Drogba follows former Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard in moving to the North American league, with the 37-year-old having joined New York City.
who is Drogba
Didier Yves Drogba Tébily born 11 March 1978 is an Ivorian professional Footballer who plays as a Striker for Canadian club Montreal Impact.
Drogba is the all time to Scorer and former Captain of the Ivory Coast national football team. His best known for his career at English Giants Chelsea, for whom he has scored more goals than any other foreign player and is currently the club’s fourth highest goal scorer of all time. In October 2012, he was voted by Chelsea supporters as the club’s greatest ever player.
He has also been named African Footballer of the Year twice, winning the accolade in 2006 and 2009. After playing in youth teams, Drogba made his professional debut aged 18 for Ligue 2 club Le Mans, and signed his first professional contract aged 21. After finishing the 2002–03 season with 17 goals in 34 appearances for Ligue 1 side Guingamp, he moved to Olympique de Marseille, where he finished as the third highest scorer in the 2003–04 season with 19 goals and helped the club reach the 2004 UEFA Cup Final
Was An Ivory Coast international between 2002 and 2014, Drogba captained the national team from 2006 until his retirement and is the nation’s all-time top goal scorer with 65 goals from 104 appearances. He led the Ivory Coast to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, their first appearance in the tournament, and also scored their first goal. He later captained the Ivory Coast at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. He was part of the Ivory Coast teams that reached the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2006 and 2012, but were beaten on penalties on both occasions. On 8 August 2014, he announced his retirement from international football.
