Chelsea legend and former Galatasaray centre forward Didier Drogba (44) has reportedly been cleared to contest in the next Ivory Coast Football Federation (FIF) presidential election.
The elections that were initially slated for September 2020 before being postponed due to the eligibility of certain candidates, including Drogba are now set to be held on the 23rd of April the FIF also confirmed.
Drogba who played three World Cups with the Elephants and is the national team’s all time top scorer with 65 goals in 105 matches will stand along six other candidates.
These include the Idriss Diallo, Yatte Ellele Jean-Baptiste, Arnaud Aka, Laurent Kouakou and Sory Diabate.
“The filing of candidacy for the presidency of the Ivorian football federation is closed. Six candidates have been registered. They are: Yatte Ellele Jean-Baptiste, Arnaud Aka, Laurent Kouakou, Idriss Diallo, Sory Diabate and Didier Drogba,” Mariam Dao Gabala, president of the FIF normalisation committee, announced on Sunday.
“We are ready for these elections and we must show a good image of Cote d’Ivoire through a peaceful election. I ask everyone not to add to the crisis,” added Gabala.
In reaction, the 44-year-old who won four league titles, 4 FA Cups and one UEFA Champions League trophy with Chelsea promised to revitalise Ivorian football if he gets elected.
“Finally here we are,” Drogba said, “I can’t wait for the campaign to start. Trust me to give life to Ivorian football if I am elected.”
Drogba’s commitment to vie for the top post comes four months after another ex-Chelsea star Samuel Eto’o was elected the new president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT).
Eto’o was the president when Cameroon hosted the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) that ran from January to February 2022.
Drogba could do the same considering he gets elected the new president of the Ivory Coast’s FIF.
Drogba’s Ivory Coast are the next hosts of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2023.