King Didier Drogba inducted into Premier League Hall of Fame

The Premier League Hall of Fame has doubled in size, with the Class of 2022 joining last year’s inaugural Class of 2021, increasing the number of inductees from eight (8) to sixteen (16).

As last year, two of the incoming class were chosen by the Hall of Fame itself, while six more were chosen by way of a public vote. The two invited by the Hall this year are Wayne Rooney and Patrick Vieira, while the six voted in include Sergio Agüero, Vincent Kompany, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, Ian Wright, and the one and only Didier Drogba. Solid choices all around.

Drogba’s the second Chelsea player in the Hall after Frank Lampard, with the likes of John Terry, Ashley Cole, Petr Čech not getting enough likes votes once again. Other nominees this year included Tony Adams, Matt Le Tissier, Teddy Sheringham, Les Ferdinand, Sol Campbell, Andy Cole, Robbie Fowler, Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Owen, Edwin van der Sar, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Robin van Persie, Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidić, and Yaya Touré.

This remains an inherently silly exercise, but it’s certainly a well deserved recognition.

“It is a real honour for me to have been inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame. My years with Chelsea were so special to me, and I’m incredibly proud of everything we won as a team.

“I played with fantastic players for some amazing managers and against brilliant opponents. I’m so happy to say that I won the Premier League four times – and now I’m in the Hall of Fame with some of those great players I played alongside and against, which makes me very proud.”

-Didier Drogba

Congrats, King Didier!

Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images