Didier Drogba

“People have an opinion of Africa and it is not so good, but we have to let sport unite us all.”

“In England, I've never really had a problem with racism.”

“In football, the good thing is things can change in a second.”

“I have won many trophies in my time, but nothing will ever top helping win the battle for peace in my country.”

“People think footballers are all like robots - we can control everything on the pitch. But your heart is beating 200 times a minute; it's very, very physical.”

“I believe a lot in destiny and I think that if something didn't happen, it was for a reason.”

“Coaches can teach you two things: confidence and technique.”

“I feel at home when I go to London.”

“When I arrived in France, I cried every day. Not because I was in France - I could have been anywhere - but because I was so far, far away from my parents. I missed them so much.”

“Football can generate excitement and bring people together.”

“When you don't win games, yeah, you lose confidence. That's normal.”

“Having a stadium in France named after a footballer from the Ivory Coast, even if I'm proud of my France-Ivory Coast background, is a great proof of integration.”

“I prefer people to see me as an Ivorian and as a patriot.”