The Didier Drogba effect: How the Ivorian gave the Impact its swagger

Didier Drogba may have failed to score a goal in the Impact's conference semi-final against Columbus, but the Impact likely would not have made it to Ohio were it not for him.

• Impact eliminated from MLS Cup playoffs

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The Drogba effect on the field is right there in black and white: 14 games, 12 goals.

But off the field,the charismatic Ivorian tra-la-la'd his way into Montrealand into the hearts of Impact fanswith his love of music and his locker-room presence.

'Straight up Africa'

The video of Drogba'simpromptu "dance off" with Impact Academy players sums up perfectly what kind of teammate he is.

I noticed the Impact seemed to have a different swagger, right from the moment that playerDominic Oduro told me thatmusic-wise, the locker room was "straight up Africa right now."

Scoring a hat trick in his first start didn't hurt Drogba'spopularity with the fans either.

Suddenly everywhere I went in this town, people were talking about the Impact.

They were excited about this team and the new starwho pickedus! Montreal! to continue a career that spanned the Premier League with Chelseaas the fourth highest goal scorer of all time and, on the international pitch, with the Ivory Coast national team.

Brokered civil-war truce

The man stopped a civilwar in his country, for goodness sakes.

When his team, the Elephants, qualified for the World Cup for the first time in Ivorianhistory in 2006, the country was five years into a bloody civil war.

Dropping to one knee in the locker room after the winning match, Drogba the team captain led his teammates in a plea for peace.

"Let us come together and put this war behind us," they said a plea which helped to broker a nationwide truce.

Playing with Drogba 'just fantastic'

Drogba is, by all accounts, a great guya point underscored when you talk to his African teammates on the Impact.

"A kid growing up in Africa, you hear 'Didier Drogba,' you start beaming," says Oduro, a Ghanaian. "For me to beplaying next to him, even having a conversation with him, you know, trying to teach you some stuff! ...I have guys calling me from back home, asking, 'How is it to play with him?'... It's just fantastic!"

And Drogba'scontagious energy transformed Impact games into a frenetic, bell-ringing, anything-can-happenspectacle for traditional soccer fans as well as fornewcomers who have just woken up to discover Montreal'sotherteam.

We will find outNov.23 if Drogbahas wonover the MLS as well, when the winner of this season's Newcomer of the Year award is announced.

Drogba is a finalist, along with Toronto FC's Sebastian Giovinco and Mike Grella of theNew York Red Bulls.

On mobile? Check outDidier Drogba'sdance off with Impact Academy playershere.

Credit: The Montreal Impact