Â鶹Éç

by Oluwashina Okeleji

I would clearly vote for Didier Drogba because of his consistency in scoring vital goals - goals which have had a massive significance for both club and country.

Strikingly he has proven in recent times that he doesn't just score goals - he creates them at an increasing rate for his team mates too.

Just ask Nicolas Anelka, Salomon Kalou and Florent Malouda why scoring goals has come so easy whenever they play alongside this striker.

No other footballer on the continent has had a remarkable year like this Ivorian who began the season on a high and raised the bar even further in the end.

His remarkable tally of 37 goals in 40 appearances for Chelsea went a long way to helping the London side to the double last season, and making him the English Premier league's highest goal scorer.

Ivory Coast didn't flourish in Angola at the Africa Cup of Nations but Drogba stood tall amid the troubled Elephants campaign that resulted in a disappointing quarter-final exit.

On the biggest stage, the Fifa 2010 World Cup, his involvement in the showpiece was cast in doubt by surgery on his fractured arm just days before the tournament.

Drogba's determination was there for all to see as he reinvigorated the side in all three group matches in South Africa.

Ivory Coast were victims of a tough group but Drogba left his mark with a brilliant headed goal against Brazil in a 3-1 loss.

Hate him or love him, there is a huge difference between a striker and a goalscorer and I bet you would want the latter on your team instead of a glorified former.

Only a blind man would deny Didier Drogba his second successive Â鶹Éç African Footballer of the Year award.