Didier Drogba named Gerard Pique as the best defender he faced during his glittering career, while hailing Manchester United duo Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic as one of the top partnerships he took on.
The former Chelsea striker – who hung up his boots this week – will be remembered as one of the finest strikers in Premier League history and terrorised defences during his spells in France, England, Turkey, China and, finally, the USA. The Champions League winner tested himself against some of the finest defenders on the planet during his time in Europe, and the 40-year-old praised two special centre-back pairings. ‘It’s very difficult for me to say one that I played against because most of the time I was playing against two defenders, so one of the best pair I played against was Vidic and Ferdinand,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘And the other one was [Carles] Puyol and Pique.
When asked to pick out the best defender of the bunch, he replied: ‘I think Pique because our battles were really, really tough. ‘But at the same time, like with all of them, you know like big guys, top players, top men, class.’ Drogba also hinted he would be making a move into management after ending his time on the pitch.