Didier Drogba: all you need to know about Chelsea's returning hero

* Drogba begins career at French Ligue 2 club Le Mans.

* Makes mark in the 2002-03 season, scoring 17 goals in 34 appearances for Ligue 1 side Guingamp.

* Moves to Olympique Marseille in 2003 and scores 18 league goals to help them reach the UEFA Cup final.

* Joins Chelsea in 2004 for 24 million pounds ($35.81 million) and wins the Premier League and League Cup in his first season, scoring in extra time in a 3-2 win over Liverpool in the final.

* Wins another title the following season when Chelsea become only the second team to win back-to-back crowns in the Premier League era.

* In 2007 scores both goals in Chelsea's 2-1 League Cup final win over Arsenal and the winner in the first FA Cup final at the new Wembley Stadium against Manchester United.

* In the 2008 Champions League final Drogba is sent off in the 117th minute for clashing with Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic, becoming only the second player to be red-carded in the final after Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann in 2006.

* Banned for six European matches after confronting the referee and for a dramatic outburst at television cameras in reaction to Chelsea's controversial elimination by Barcelona in the 2008-09 Champions League semi-finals.

* Scores in 2009 FA Cup final victory over Everton.

* Scores only goal in 2010 FA Cup final victory over Portsmouth.

* Scores winning penalty as Chelsea capture the Champions League title for the first time with a shootout victory in the final against Bayern Munich in 2012, his 10th and final trophy at Stamford Bridge.

* Leaves Chelsea after the final having scored 157 goals in 341 appearances.

* Has spells at Shanghai Shenhua in China and Galatasaray in Turkey before re-signing for Chelsea in July 2014.

* Makes Ivory Coast debut on Sept. 8, 2002 against South Africa and scores first goal on Feb. 11, 2003 against Cameroon in a 3-0 victory.

* Captains team to African Nations Cup final in 2006 which they lose to 4-2 on penalties to Egypt after a 0-0 draw, with Drogba's penalty saved.

* Named African Footballer of the Year in 2006, edging out Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o by 79 votes to 74.

* Helps his country through World Cup qualifying campaign in 2009, scoring five goals as the Ivorians finish unbeaten.

* Named African Footballer of the Year for a second time in 2009.

* Wins 100th cap in a friendly against Bosnia in June 2014 before playing all three games as Ivorians are knocked out in first round at the World Cup in Brazil.

* Regarded as his country's greatest ever player.