The two, who have three children together, have always had a discreet private life in order to shield their loved ones from the limelight.
However, Drogba was forced to confirm that he had split from wife Lalla after photos and videos went viral on social media of him with another woman.
The 42-year-old met Lalla in Paris in the 1990s and formalised their union in 2011.
In the film, according to The Sun, which a representative claimed had been hacked, Drogba was seen bare-chested in bed with the near-naked young woman, sparking headlines in his home country.
The two appear extremely playful as she jokingly bites his shoulder before he cries in French: “She’s positive! She’ll infect me by biting me!”
The scenes left tongues wagging back in Ivory Coast and the Blues’ icon was forced to respond.
“But, because of speculation in the media today, I can confirm that sadly, after 20 years together, Lalla and I took the difficult decision to separate last year.
“We remain very close, and our main priorities have been to protect our children and our family’s private life. May God bless you.”
Drogba spent an initial eight years at Chelsea, before briefly returning in 2014, scoring 104 goals in 254 Premier League games, winning four league titles and the Champions League in 2012.
The 42-year-old is also the all-time top scorer and former captain of the Ivory Coast, boasting 65 goals in 105 caps.
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