He had become the face of the ceremony. Since 2019, Didier Drogba, in duet with Sandy Heribert, embodied the Ballon d'Or. His charisma, elegance and proximity to the players had been unanimous. So when France Football announced its replacement for the 2025 edition, the surprise was total. Why separate from a formula that worked so well? A sanction? A skill behind the scenes? The question was on everyone's lips.
A simple need for renewal
The truth, as often, is much less sulphurous. No, Didier Drogba did not commit any fault. No, he was not punished. His departure is the result of a simple strategic decision on the part of the organizers. After five years, France Football wanted to “conclude a cycle” and renew the image of its ceremony by giving it an even more international touch.
The choice was therefore made on a new duo: British journalist Kate Scott and another football legend, the Dutchman Ruud Gullit. Himself golden ball in 1987, polyglot and accustomed to major events, he has the perfect profile to embody this new orientation. It is therefore not a question of replacing Drogba due to bad services, but of offering a new approach, a new energy.
Ruud Gullit replaces Drogba: the underside of a strategic decision
Drogba's inheritance
This decision should not make us forget the excellent work accomplished by the Ivorian. In five years, he has imposed his style, a mixture of solemnity and warmth, which modernized the event. He brought his credibility and intimate knowledge of the environment, creating an atmosphere that is both prestigious and relaxed. His passage will remain as a success, a period when the ceremony has gained in professionalism and emotional.
This sidelining is therefore not a disavowal. It is simply the law of the show. The cycles end, the faces change. Didier Drogba fully fulfilled his mission, and he leaves his place to another legend to continue the work. Without drama or controversy. Just the desire to reinvent yourself, so that the most beautiful individual awards continues to shine.
