Didier Drogba has given his former Chelsea team-mates commemorative rings to honour their Champions League victory – just 24 hours after they were knocked out of the competition.
The Stamford Bridge favourite presented the gifts at a dinner in London where he is training with the club in preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Super Bowl-style bling reportedly set the Ivorian back an eye-watering £800,000 – mind you, that’s only four weeks’ wages at his new club Shanghai Shenhua.
And pictures tweeted by Ashley Cole showed personalised details on every ring.
The hashtag-crazy Cole tweeted: “#ThankYouDidier for the amazing #CFC Championship rings!!!! #buzzing I appreciate everything lad!”
One man unable to attend the bash was the man who still toils in Drogba’s shadow – Fernando Torres. The striker was with his family, celebrating his son’s second birthday.
Despite scoring twice against Nordsjaelland on Wednesday, the Torres looks unhappy at Chelsea and has comprehensively failed to replace Drogba in the fans’ affections.
And the dinner’s timing, the day after the European champions’ elimination, highlights the extent to which he is missed.
In an interview with So Foot magazine, attacking midfielder Juan Mata said: “Drogba’s departure was like an electric shock for us. He was a warrior.
“We’ve had to learn to cope without him because for many long years he was Chelsea’s lightning conductor.”