Didier Drogba, a former Ivorian professional footballer and Ivory Coast national team captain, recently sparked rumors among netizens following the clash between his ex-wife Lalla and current girlfriend Gabrielle.
The former Chelsea star recently gained worldwide attention after his Ballon d’Or video of Paris, France, on October 28, 2024, went viral on the internet.
In the video, Drogba arrives at the event with his girlfriend, Gabrielle Lemaire, but later, a lady escorts him to the red carpet.
So Drogba went to the gala with his mistress and the wife suddenly appeared.🤔 🤔 pic.twitter.com/eO2Spc5W8K
— ONJOLO KENYA🇰🇪 (@onjolo_kenya) November 3, 2024
Similarly, during the transition from Lemaire to the lady, the lady raises her hand to adjust her dress, causing her sleeve to brush across Lemaire’s face.
This incident quickly caught people’s attention, with many believing the lady to be Drogba’s former wife and that she suddenly visited the event to take him away from his girlfriend.
However, despite speculation, the lady escorting Drogba in the video is not his former wife but journalist Sandy Heribet.
Talking about Drogba’s ex-wife, the couple mutually ended their marriage but maintained a good bond.
Despite the divorce, Didier Drogba and his ex-wife mutually raised their children
The former Chelsea star Didier Drogba started dating his ex-wife, a Malian woman Lalla Diakite, in the late 1990s.
Furthemore, after dating for nearly 10 years, the couple tied the knot in Monaco on June 13, 2011; Chelsea’s owner, Roman Abramovich, officiated their wedding.
For years, the couple lived an adventurous life, traveling to different places, and had a happy marital relationship.
Didier Drogba and his ex-wife also gave birth to three children, including two sons, Isaac and Kieran, and a daughter named Iman Drogba. Their eldest son, Isaac, was born in France on December 15, 2000.
Unfortunately, in a statement (now deleted) posted on Instagram in January 2021, Drogba confirmed his divorce from his wife, Lalla, stating that they mutually decided to end their marriage.
Similarly, Drogba stated that he is not in the habit of discussing his private life publicly, but because of the speculations in the media, he decided to reveal his divorce.
He added, “I can confirm that sadly, after 20 years together, Lalla and i took the difficult decision to separate last year.“
Drogba continued by saying that despite the divorce, he and his former wife, Lalla, remain very close, and their main priorities have been protecting their children and their family’s private life.
Talking about their children, Drogba and Lalla’s eldest son Isaac is following in his father’s footsteps in football. He primarily plays as a forward.
Similarly, their youngest son, Kieran, plays football, following in his father’s footsteps. However, very little information about their daughter Iman is available publicly as she prefers to maintain a private life.
Didier Drogba began dating his current girlfriend, Gabrielle Lemaire, in 2022
After ending his 10-year marriage to Lalla Diakite, Didier Drogba began dating Gabrielle Lemaire.
Moreover, according to reports, Drogba and Gabrielle officially went public in early 2022 when they attended a Formula E race in Saudi Arabia.
The couple has been living a happy life for over two years. The former footballer often shares pictures of his girlfriend, Gabrielle, on social media, expressing his love for her.
Similarly, Gabrielle recently shared a picture of them at the Ballon d’Or ceremony on her Instagram on October 29, 2024, with the caption:
“Congratulations, baby, on your charismatic performance for @ballondorofficial 2024. You set the bar very high!”
According to Gabrielle Lemaire’s LinkedIn profile, she is the CEO and founder of Barons, a strategy, communications, and lobbying consulting agency located in the Ivory Coast.
Before founding Barons in January 2023, she was the CEO of Advertising and Digitial for Africa for over eight years and a communication director at BNP Paribas.
Likewise, she earned her master of arts and marketing degree from the Univeristy of Westminster.
One report stated that Didier Drogba and his girlfriend Gabrielle Lemaire gave birth to their son in 2023; however, neither Drogba nor Gabrielle has revealed anything about having children.
Additional Information
- Didier Drogba was born Didier Yves Drogba Tebily in March 11, 1978 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
- His parents sent him to France at age five to live with his uncle, a professional footballer named Michel Goba.
- Drogba signed with Chelsea in 2004 for £24 million, becoming the most expensive striker in English domestic football.
- In addition to his football career, Drogba is known for his Philanthropy. He is the UNDP’s Goodwill Ambassador.
