Didier Drogba explains why he did not join Corinthians in 2017 | OneFootball

At the Ligue 1 awards dinner, Didier Drogba was asked about not having reached an agreement with Corinthians in 2017.

At the time, Drogba was turning 39 years old and had just left Major League Soccer’s Montreal Impact and was a free agent.

Though he was rumoured to be close to signing a deal with Corinthians, Drogba opted to sign and become an owner for Phoenix Rising – a second-tier American club.

“My vision was long-term, not just a vision of a year or two,” Drogba told ESPN. “That is why I decided to go to the United States and embrace this challenge.

“Of course, it’s a big club and I have a lot of respect for Corinthians and my Brazilian brothers, but I decided to go the other way, to own a club. I now own a club.”

The Chelsea legend announced his retirement in November after Phoenix were defeated by Louisville City in the USL Cup final.