Beating Nigeria eased it — Didier Drogba on effect of Cote D'Ivoire winning AFCON 2023

Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has revealed that Cote d’Ivoire’s triumph over the Super Eagles in the AFCON 2023 final helped ease the biggest regret in his life.

Drogba is one of the greatest strikers in African football history. Known for his incredible efficiency in finals, he led Chelsea to multiple titles; however, he could not replicate it for the Elephants, failing to win the AFCON in multiple tries before retiring.

It did not help that the Ivorians triumphed in the next edition after his retirement, all of which contributed to him tagging his failure on the grandest stage in the continent as the biggest regret in his life.

Those pains are starting to ease for Drogba, however, as he revealed that watching footballers who look up to him take his nation to glory provided respite.

“The 2023 AFCON victory eased my regrets. It’s true that my biggest regret remains football-related,” he said, per Afriquesports.

“Not being able to achieve one of my goals with the national team, which was winning at least one African Cup of Nations.

Nevertheless, this regret was mitigated by the Elephants’ triumph at the 2023 AFCON. My pride is that all my younger brothers who won this AFCON in 2023 called me at some point to say, ‘Old man, we did it for you.’ That’s my greatest pride,” he affirmed.

Drogba was a constant feature on the stands throughout Ivory Coast’s journey in the competition. He displayed a wide range of emotions, depending on their fortunes, but it was ecstasy for him at the end when they beat the Super Eagles 2-1 to be crowned African champions on home soil.