Didier Drogba: Time Is Right to Leave Chelsea After Champions League Win

Didier Drogba accomplished the mission. He restored Chelsea to glory with a Champions League title, helping them register a huge win over Bayern Munich on Bayern's own home field. If there was ever a right time to move on from the Blues, it would be now.

In the interest of full disclosure and putting an end to the speculation, the striker announced on the Chelsea website on Tuesday that he'll depart Chelsea once his contract expires in June.

According to The Daily Star's Matthew Rowlands, Drogba said: 

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I wanted to put an end to all the speculation and confirm that I am leaving Chelsea. It has been a very difficult decision for me to make and I am very proud of what we have achieved but the time is right for a new challenge for me. 

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The announcement comes just three days after Chelsea's big win, one that put a nice bookend on Drogba's eight-year tenure with Chelsea. In  341 appearances since 2004, he scored 157 goals and helped the team garner three league titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups.

Saying goodbye to a dominant player is never easy, but Drogba's time with the Blues was well-spent and worthwhile. There was very little left for him to accomplish there, and like most elite athletes, he needs a new challenge to keep himself at the top of his game.

And there's no need for bitterness or anger, either, toward someone who has admitted he never would've left Chelsea if they hadn't won the Champions League title this year.

According to The Mirror, Drogba said, "If we didn't win the Champions League it would have been very difficult for me to leave because we have been chasing this trophy for eight years, and we were always close to it."

Finally, Drogba accomplished what he has spent the last eight years of his career dreaming about.

He's reached the pinnacle, and there's nothing left for him with Chelsea. It's time to move on, time to instill that winning potential in another team in need of a superstar. And he's moving on with integrity, too, refusing to commit to another English club due to his allegiance to Chelsea, according to The Mirror.

For eight years, Drogba put the team's needs above his own. Now, with another championship under his belt, it's time for him to start considering himself again, and he deserves it. Few pro athletes these days move on with so much class.