Chelsea legend Didier Drogba left team-mates stunned by ‘training like a mad man’ in his late 30s lifting weights

DIDIER DROGBA stunned his Galatasaray team-mates by training ‘like a madman’ despite him coming towards the end of his career. The Chelsea legend joined the Turkish giants from Shanghai Shenhua in 2013. But the Ivory Coast international was far from ‘winding down’ his career, so says Hellas Verona star Koray Gunter. The 26-year-old joined Galatasaray […]

DIDIER DROGBA stunned his Galatasaray team-mates by training ‘like a madman’ despite him coming towards the end of his career.

The Chelsea legend joined the Turkish giants from Shanghai Shenhua in 2013.

Times Newspapers Ltd

Didier Drogba inspired team-mates at Galatasaray with his dedication to training[/caption]

But the Ivory Coast international was far from ‘winding down’ his career, so says Hellas Verona star Koray Gunter.

The 26-year-old joined Galatasaray a year after Drogba, then 35, had made the switch, and he was impressed by what he saw from the striker.

Speaking to Bild, Gunter said: “When I came to Galatasaray and entered the weight room for the first time, I widened my eyes.

“There was Drogba, who was in his late 30s and had a huge career behind him, training like a madman. He worked more than anyone else.

“I thought ‘that’s how it has to be’.

“After that we met in the weight room more often and sweated a lot together. That was a huge incentive.”

Drogba scored 15 goals in 37 games in all appearances in Turkey.

He ended up playing for an other FOUR years, taking in a second spell with Chelsea as well as turning out for Montreal Impact and Phoenix Rising.

Reuters

Koray Gunter, left, remembers fondly his time training with Drogba at Galatasaray[/caption]

PA:Press Association

Drogba is a true Chelsea hero after years of success in West London[/caption]

In 2018, Drogba retired from professional football at the age of 40.

Gunter was talking about how he resurrected his football career after a disappointing exit from Borussia Dortmund.

The defender was heralded for big things in the Bundesliga, but managed just TWO MINUTES of action under Jurgen Klopp before leaving for £2.2m to Turkey.

The Drogba name, however, is also set to continue in the sport.

Didier’s son Isaac has signed for Italian Serie D side Folgore Caratese.

A striker like his old man, the younger Drogba is looking to take his first steps into senior football.

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