Life, Money and Football for fan, Didier Drogba
Posted on 02/07/2007
The Homeless World Cup speaks to African soccer star, Didier Drogba, currently playing for Chelsea, on football, life, money, and the Homeless World Cup.
How has football changed your life?
Well… football really completely changed my life, because it is what has allowed me to become recognised throughout the whole world. It is what allows me, today, to be able to provide for my family. And for me, football is still a game, but it has enabled me to develop, and that is very important.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in France. I was born in the Côte d’Ivoire, but I came to France when I was five years old. I lived with my uncle. And then, at a certain point in time, I went back to the Côte d’Ivoire, but most of the time I was with my uncle in France… and it was with him that I started to play football, that I learnt the different aspects of the trade.
What was your childhood like, have you ever been affected by poverty?
Yes, of course. You know, around me I have friends who have been through very difficult times and poverty, difficulty finding food, that’s what it was like for us... to get one meal a day, it was, it's really very difficult indeed, so we try to help them, when we’ve been lucky enough, as I have, to succeed, then we try to help them, to overcome their hunger.
I have a number of friends who have experienced… poverty, real poverty, but who managed to pull through. It’s true that it is really unpleasant to experience it, but I think that when you have the support of lots of people… like I try to support…those in difficulty financially, and that enables everyone to have a chance to pull through. That’s very important too.
And why did you get involved with the Homeless World Cup?
I support the Homeless Cup because for me it is important to show people that even if it’s true that we are in a world in which money makes all the difference, and there’s really a relationship with money at a club like Chelsea, which is a big club, with Abramovich, to show people that even if there are millions of pounds there now, we’ve experienced the other side of things, and we’re affected by this phenomenon.
For me it’s very important to put a lot of work into the Homeless Cup, because it’s important for us, the players, and for me myself, to show these people that it’s true that we live in a world full of money, in a world of stars, but despite that we don’t forget, we haven’t forgotten where we came from nor those who were there with us who haven’t been so fortunate, who didn’t quite make it to the top level, but who, despite that, are doing all they can to pull through. And knowing that they’re doing all they can, really really really makes me happy, so I’m very happy to be working on this project.
Do you think an event like this can really change lives?
Of course. Of course it can. It’s an event that can change the life of anyone, not simply to help them become a professional footballer, but so that they can become a man, in everyday life. So that they can develop with regard to today’s society, which is not an easy society for everyone and that means above all developing values, human values, which I think are very important.
48 teams take part from all across the globe. Have you got anything that you’d like to say to those teams?
What I really hope, from the bottom of my heart, is that it all takes place in good spirit and that whatever happens, at the end of the day its a competition where there are no real losers and winners because just by participating, you are showing that you want to develop so that’s something we must keep in the forefront of our minds.
Is there anything else you would like to say?
Become a fan of the Homeless World Cup. I am.
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