Didier Drogba is a professional footballer.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup , the quadrennial world championship for men 's national football teams organized by FIFA . Didier Yves Drogba Tébily ( [ didje dʁɔɡba ] ; born 11 March 1978 ) is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a striker for American club Phoenix Rising FC . After playing in youth teams , Drogba made his professional debut aged 18 for Ligue 2 club Le Mans , and signed his first professional contract aged 21 . The Ivory Coast national football team ( Équipe de Côte d'Ivoire de football ) , nicknamed Les Éléphants ( The Elephants ) , represents Ivory Coast in international football and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football ( FIF ) . Le Mans Football Club ( [ ləmɑ̃ ] ; commonly referred to as Le MUC or simply Le Mans ) is a French association football club based in Le Mans .