Didier Drogba vs Samuel Eto'o: Comparing two of Africa’s greatest strikers

Rivalries between football players give the game an extra dimension. At the same time, some may go too far in their criticisms of the greatness contests. The Didier Drogba vs Samuel debate is one between two striking legends from the 2000s and 2010s whose influence on the world stage was immense, and their rivalry debate is one of the most heated in Africa.

Who is the best between Eto'o and Drogba? At Olympique Marseille and Chelsea, the Ivorian was renowned for his speed and strength and had a strange ability to score in the most important games. With a stellar career spanning two decades, the Cameroonian was a top export, able to compete at a high level in various systems and bring home practically every major trophy for his club and nation.

Samuel Eto'o vs Didier Drogba stats

Drogba scored more goals for Chelsea during his career than any other club he played for. On the other hand, Eto'o scored more goals during his reign at Barcelona FC. Here are the goals scored by the two strikers;

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Drogba's stats

Eto'o stats

Didier Drogba vs Samuel Eto'o achievements

Drogba was recognised as the Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 2004, the Ligue 1 Goal of the Year, and a member of the Ligue 1 Team of the Season. Drogba has been recognised with multiple accolades, including two African Player of the Year awards (2006) and five CAF Team of the Year appearances.

In 2006–07, he won the Premier League Golden Boot with 20 goals, then in 2009–10, he scored 29 goals to repeat as league top scorer. In 2007, Drogba was voted Chelsea's Player of the Year, placed fourth in the Ballon d'Or voting, and was named to the MLS All-Star team in 2016.

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Eto'o became the first player in African history to win the trophy three years in a row in 2005. Barcelona won the Spanish First Division and the Champions League that same year.

Four times Africa's top player, Eto'o also placed third in 2005's Fifa World Player of the Year competition. In addition to his two championships (in 2000 and 2002), the attacker also won the Golden Boot in 2006 and 2008.

Didier Drogba vs Samuel Eto'o trophies

Among Drogba's many individual and team achievements are four Premier League crowns won by Chelsea. In addition to netting the winning penalty that sealed the club's first-ever Champions League title in 2011–12, he also guided the Blues to achieve four FA Cups, three League Cups, and two Community Shields. The Turkish Super Lig, Turkish Cup, and Turkish Super Cup were all won by Drogba while he was a player with Galatasaray.

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Eto'o has won the UEFA Champions League three times—once with Inter Milan and twice with FC Barcelona—making him just the second player in history to do so. Eto'o's 18 club and national team accolades are the 2000 and 2002 Africa Cup of Nations and the Olympic Gold Medal.

Didier Drogba vs Samuel Eto'o AFCON

As far as AFCON goals, Eto'o is ahead of Drogba. The Cameroon icon has scored more goals in AFCONs than any other African footballer. Eto'o was instrumental in the 2000 AFCON final victory over Nigeria. He scored spectacular goals in AFCON and the final triumph of the Olympic season over Spain.

Although he did not compete in the 2010 tournament, the former Inter Milan striker won the 2000 and 2002 AFCONs. In this tournament, he scored eighteen goals, while Drogba scored eleven. Despite making it to the finals twice, he was ultimately unsuccessful each time. Other African top scorers in AFCON are Rashidi Yekini, Laurent Pokou, and Hassan El-Shazly.

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Didier Drogba vs Samuel Eto'o net worth

Drogba has amassed an estimated net worth of $90 million. With collaborations with Samsung, Pepsi, Adidas, Nike, and Konami among his many notable sponsors. His incredible scoring prowess, undying devotion to the game, and penchant for flashy automobiles have brought him widespread fame.

The former Cameroonian footballer Samuel Eto'o is worth $95 million. With a salary of $26 million per year, Samuel was once among the world's highest-paid football players.

Although he won the African Player of the Year award four times (in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2010), Eto'o is widely considered among the best African players of all time and a top striker. The world's wealthiest football club, Real Madrid, welcomed Eto'o when he was sixteen.

Frequently asked questions

Who was better Eto'o or Drogba? The following are some of the most common inquiries concerning the Samuel Eto'o vs Didier Drogba argument.

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How many times did Eto'o win the African best player trophy?

Yaya Touré holds the record for most consecutive years won(2011–2014), while Samuel Eto'o and Eto'o have four wins.

Has Samuel Eto'o ever won a Ballon d'Or?

In 2005, Eto'o placed third in the Fifa World Player of the Year award ceremony, and he was crowned Africa's top player no less than four times. Mourinho reportedly said to Cameroon Radio.

How many goals did Drogba score in 2004?

Although he had a slow start to his career, Drogba joined The Blues from Marseille in 2003–04 after scoring 19 goals in 35 appearances in Ligue 1. He was 26 years old.

How many times has Drogba won the African Best Player award?

Physical strength, speed, aerial prowess, precise and forceful strikes, and ball retention were some of his most lauded qualities, earning him a place among the all-time great African players. In 2006 and 2009, Drogba was proclaimed African Footballer of the Year twice.

Who are the ranked top 10 all-time top scorers of La Liga?

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How many golden boots does Eto have?

The forward was named champion in 2000 and again in 2002, and he also won Golden Boot honours in 2006 and 2008.

Final word

In the debate Didier Drogba vs Samuel Eto'o, both players contributed to their nation's trophies apart from their achievements. Didier is a legendary player for Chelsea, while Eto'o has played for Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Chelsea, among other elite clubs. While Didier Drogba was trophy-less with the Ivory Coast national team, Samuel Eto won two with Cameroon.

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