Chelsea FC: Is Didier Drogba Blues' Greatest Player Ever?

Before Didier Drogba even stepped up to the spot, it was over. We all knew it.

Long before the powerful Ivorian drove home the decisive spot-kick in Chelsea's Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich, we had begun wondering whether the whole thing had already been written in the stars.

And whether Drogba was the key to it all.

Back in December, the aging forward had turned in a vintage display to power Chelsea past Valencia,  prolonging both the dream and the doomed reign of Andre Villas-Boas. As the spring progressed, he had delivered encores in the Round of 16 and especially the semifinals.

Then, finally, with Europe's most prestigious club title on the line in Munich, all the loose ends fell perfectly into place, just waiting to be tied.

Chelsea had trailed, and all had seemed lost after Thomas Müller's headed goal late in the second half. But Drogba pulled Chelsea back from the brink one last time, sending the final into extra time, and eventually to penalty kicks, where the final say fell appropriately to him.

By then, it was over, all of it: The match, Bayern's hopes for a fairytale home final—and Drogba's Chelsea career. And we all knew it.

The time was right, and we knew it was the perfect ending for a legendary career. But was it the best career in Chelsea history?

In a word, yes.

Other players have scored more goals and played more games for Chelsea. Even Frank Lampard appears ahead of Drogba on Chelsea's all-time scoring chart with 186 to Drogba's 157.

But Drogba led the Premier League in scoring twice—an honor only Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry share—and in European competition, his record stands head and shoulders above any other Chelsea player.

Results matter more than anything else in football, and Drogba consistently delivered with style. Leading from the front, the 34-year-old helped the previously silverware-shy Blues to two Premier League titles, four FA Cups and, of course, the club's only Champions League triumph in 107 years of competition.

Nor was he merely a spectator. Drogba's Chelsea career was crammed with memorable moments and glorious goals, and he was never better than in major finals.

He finishes his Chelsea career with exactly 100 league goals, a number that fits neatly with his mythical status:

"

Didier Drogba leaves Chelsea with exactly 100 PL goals. He's the only African player to reach that mark.

— Paul Carr (@PCarrESPN) May 22, 2012"

But with Drogba, it wasn't only about the football. While his antics on the pitch sometimes rankled his critics, his actions off it showed a generous heart. As ESPN Soccernet's John Brewin writes:

"

Drogba has donated much to charity, even giving a £3 million sponsorship from Pepsi directly, and in full, to the building of a hospital in Abidjan. He may have much still to offer football, but he wants to offer something back to those less fortunate than him. "Drogba for president," as one African Tweeter had it.

"

If Drogba decided on that after his playing career finishes, few would bet against him. As the sum of his Chelsea career has proven, Drogba at his best is a man without equal.

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