Following the recent success of Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o, Cote d’Ivoire soccer legend Didier Drogba has thrown his name into the hat to become the president of Cote d’Ivoire Football Federation (FIF).
The FIF president elections are scheduled to be conducted on April 23, as the country seeks to rejuvenate the sport.
This will be Drogba’s second stab at the presidency, having been ruled out of the September 2020 elections for not receiving enough nominations to be on the ballot.
“The filing of candidacies 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,” said Mariam Dao Gabala, president of the FIF normalization committee, at a press conference.
Drogba made 105 appearances for the Elephants between 2002 and 2014, scoring 65 goals in that duration. He captained the team from 2006 until his retirement.
He remains to be the team’s record goal scorer.
Drogba was part of the Cote d’Ivoire teams that reached the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2006 and 2012, but were beaten on penalties on both occasions.
He was named African Footballer of the Year twice, winning the accolade in 2006 and 2009.
The 44-year-old is running on a promise of rejuvenating the national team should he be elected FIF president.
“Finally here we are! I can’t wait for the campaign to start. I can’t wait for the campaign to start. Trust me to give life to Ivorian football if I am elected,” he said.
