Didier Drogba is hanging up his boots.

The former Cote d'Ivoire international and Chelsea legend announced his retirement on Wednesday.

"After 20 years, I have decided to put an end to my playing career," Drogba told BBC World Service's Sportshour. "It's the best way to end, helping some young talent to develop.To give something back to the game was the best way to finish as I have learned so much in the game."

Drogba made his senior team debut for Ligue 2 side Le Mans in 1998 and joined a top-flight club for the first time when he signed for Ligue 1's Guingamps in 2001. Two years later, he signed for Marseille and was a revelation, scoring 19 league goals (32 in all competitions) on the way to being named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year.

His performance at Marseille caught the eye of Jose Mourinho who brought him to Chelsea for £24 million in July of 2004.

It was at Stamford Bridge where Drogba became a household name. Drogba spent eight years with the Blues, winning three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the 2012 Champions League. He won the Premier League Golden Boot as the league's top scorer in 2007 and 2010.

Leaving Chelsea after his Champions League triumph in which he scored the winning penalty to beat Bayern Munich, Drogba joined Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua, but his trip to Asia was shortlived as he returned to Europe with Galatasaray in January of 2013 after only 11 games in China.

Following two seasons in Turkey in which he won a Super Lig title and a Turkish Cup, Drogba once again joined Chelsea on a free prior to the 2014-15 season. Reunited with Mourinho, Drogba and Chelsea once again captured the Premier League title.

Drogba finished his Chelsea career with 164 goals, fourth-most in Blues history.

Drogba then set his sights on North America, joining Major League Soccer side Montreal Impact in 2015. In his first season with IMFC, he appeared in only 11 league games, but scored in all of them and finished as the club's top scorer. Drogba was named an All-Star the following year in his only full MLS campaign.

Now 40, Drogba spent the last two seasons with the Phoenix Rising of the USL Championship, a club that he co-owns.

Internationally, Drogba was capped 104 times by Cote d'Ivoire, playing in the nation's first World Cup in 2006 and again in 2010 and 2014. He also appeared at four African Cup of Nations tournaments for Les Elephants.