As one of the most successful football (soccer) players of all time, Didier Drogba has earned worldwide acclaim both as a professional sportsman and champion for peace in his native Côte d’Ivoire. Born in Abidjan, Drogba moved to France at an early age, becoming a global football player and leading the world-famous Chelsea club in London to multiple championships, including the world-renowned Champions League trophy. Drogba is still Chelsea’s most successful European goal scorer. Altogether, he scored 157 goals in 341 appearances with Chelsea, and helped the club to four English Premier League titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups. Drogba stands tall as one of the most powerful sports stars in Africa, twice named African Footballer of the year in his 104 caps for Côte d’Ivoire, amassing a record 65 goals and leading the national team in three World Cups.
Earning acclaim for his humanitarian efforts when the ongoing civil war ravaged Côte d'Ivoire in 2006, Drogba led the nation’s football team in prayers for peace. After the World Cup qualifying games, he called for an end to the war, with his efforts in unifying the country around sport eventually helped to bring about a cease-fire.
Drogba has supported Special Olympics since the 2012 Africa Regional Games, especially within his home country, Special Olympics Côte d’Ivoire. His generous donations of sports equipment and personal resources provided support to athletes at the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles. Didier Drogba participated in the first ever Special Olympics Unified Cup at the 50th Anniversary celebrations in Chicago in July 2018. In March 2019, Didier Drogba attended the World Games in Abu Dhabi.
Special Olympics Global Leadership Coalition for Inclusion
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Dr. Timothy Shriver
Chairman, Special Olympics International -
Didier Drogba
Global Ambassador, Special Olympics International -
Nyasha Derera
Sargent Shriver International Global Messenger and Chair of the Global Athlete Congress, Special Olympics International -
Ambassador Vassilis Kaskarelis
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece -
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Director General, World Health Organization -
Her Excellency Pastor Dorcas Rigathi
Second Lady, Republic of Kenya -
The Honorable Clifton Grima
Minister of Education, Republic of Malta -
Madam Sujing Zhao
Vice President, China Disabled Persons’ Federation, People’s Republic of China -
William Alford
Law Professor, Harvard University -
The Honorable Olivia Grange
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Jamaica -
His Excellency Sarkhad Zulpkhar
Deputy Minister, Labour and Social Protection, Mongolia -
The Honorable Samantha Sacramento
Minister of Equality, Government of Gibraltar -
Douglas X. Alexander
Chairperson, Lions Club International Foundation -
Ásmundur Einar Daoason
Minister of Education and Children, Iceland -
Ian McFarlane
Director, Division of Communications and Strategic Partnerships, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) -
The Honorable Helena Dalli
European Commissioner for Equality -
The Honorable Miomir Vojinovic
Minister of Education, Montenegro -
Gillian Triggs
Assistant High Commissioner, United Nations Refugee Agency -
Dr. Eric Nkansah
Director General, Ghana Education Service (GES) -
Ambassador Ahmed Alattar
Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Federal Republic of Germany -
His Excellency Dr. Ashraf Sobhy
Minister of Youth and Sports, the Arab Republic of Egypt