Didier Drogba announced his international retirement in a statement on his personal website, closing the book on a career that made him Ivory Coast’s record scorer with 65 goals in 104 appearances.
The announcement came just weeks after Drogba had rejoined Chelsea on a free transfer following two seasons away at Shakhtar Donetsk and Galatasaray, and only a matter of weeks after his final international appearance at that summer’s World Cup in Brazil, where Ivory Coast were eliminated in the group stage.
It marked a third straight group-stage exit for the Elephants at the tournament, having also gone out early in 2006 and 2010.
Drogba, who had captained the side for eight years, never managed to bring a major trophy home despite two runs to Africa Cup of Nations finals, losing on penalties to Egypt in 2006 and to Zambia in 2012, when he missed a spot-kick of his own in normal time.
He remains a two-time African Footballer of the Year and was central to Ivory Coast’s first-ever World Cup qualification in 2006.
Photo: REUTERS/Katrina Manson
