"We beg you on our knees": How Chelsea legend Didier Drogba helped halt a civil war

Didier Drogba: The Peacemaker

On the pitch, Didier Drogba was a firebrand; off it, a peacemaker. The long-serving Chelsea striker played a pivotal role in the peace process in the Ivory Coast.

Drogba's Message of Unity

“People of Côte d’Ivoire, from the north and south, the centre and west,” begins Didier Drogba. He doesn’t sound like a footballer; he sounds like a president. “Today we proved that all Ivorians can live and fight together for one goal: World Cup qualification.”

• Didier Drogba helped halt a civil war in the Ivory Coast.
• He played a pivotal role in the peace process.

“People of Côte d’Ivoire, from the north and south, the centre and west. Today we proved that all Ivorians can live and fight together for one goal: World Cup qualification.” - Didier Drogba

Part of a Larger Story

Part 12 of our Rebel United series.