WATCH ABOVE: Ex-Chelsea superstar Didier Drogba arrives in Montreal after the Impact acquired the rights to put him on their roster. Global’s Elysia Bryan-Baynes reports.
MONTREAL – Hundreds of fans chanted and cheered as ex-Chelsea super star Didier Drogba took his first steps on Canadian soil as a member of the Montreal Impact.
As he descended the stairs at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport, Drogba held up an Impact scarf, smiling wide; fans went crazy yelling “Didier, Didier, Didier!”
The Impact confirmed the deal on Monday in a tweet that said “Deal Done. Didier Drogba in bleu-blanc-noir.”
Since the announcement that the Impact had secured Drogba in their line-up, ticket sales have gone through the roof and the club’s boutiques are struggling to keep up with the growing demand for jerseys.
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Rumour has it Drogba will keep his iconic #11, though that means midfielder Dilly Duka will have to trade his jersey in for a new number.
Aside from his skills on the field, Drogba is known as one of the most respected people in the Ivory Coast, his home country.
After the Ivory Coast qualified for the 2006 World Cup, Drogba made a desperate plea to ask combatants to lay down their arms.
READ MORE: Montreal Impact confirms signing ex-Chelsea star Didier Drogba
His plea was answered with a cease fire after five years of civil war.
Drogba, 37, has reportedly signed an 18 month contract with the Impact that would give him more than $3 million per season.
rachel.lau@globalnews.ca
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