"What made me become Chelsea fan was Didier Drogba"- Letsile Tebogo honored with special jersey by Premier League Club 

Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo was in attendance at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday as Chelsea FC won 4-0 against the bottom-placed Southampton. The Olympic champion is a lifelong Chelsea fan and was presented with an honorary jersey.

Tebogo shared glimpses of his visit in an Instagram story on Tuesday and was spotted soaking in the atmosphere during the warm-ups from the sidelines with American rapper Rubi Rose.

Letsile Tebogo's Instagram stories

He was also presented with a special jersey from the club, which had his name and jersey number 80 imprinted on it.

The 21-year-old got candid about his love for the club during an interview with Eurosport afterward and shared that Chelsea legend Didier Drogba was the reason he became a fan of the club.

"What made me really become a Chelsea fan was Didier Drogba, I was a big fan of him growing up, so I loved the way he played, his style of play, so then I became a big Chelsea fan," he said

Tebogo also replicated the goal celebration of Chelsea winger Cole Palmer before the start of the 200m finals at the Paris Olympics 2024, folding his hands during the walkout. Explaining his celebration, Tebogo said:

"I just thought of, who's my favourite player, what can I do to make it more interesting, because I knew I had the confidence in me to make it happen, to get the gold medal. But I didn't want to say it out loud, I had to make something up.

"I thought of 'Cold Palmer' and then made sure I do it the way he does it best."

The 21-year-old dominated the finals and clocked an African record of 19.46s to defeat the American duo of Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles, who finished second and third, respectively.

---

Letsile Tebogo kicks off 2025 season with impressive 400m run

Letsile Tebogo at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea - Source: Getty

Letsile Tebogo kicked off his 2025 season with an impressive 400m short track run at the BAA Track and Field Series, which was held at the National Stadium in Gaborone, Botswana. The Olympic champion clocked 48.94s and finished second despite having been ill.

The 21-year-old is now slated to compete in another 400m race next month at the Maurie Plant Meet in Australia and is looking to build endurance for his signature 200m races.

“I will be stepping up to the challenge of the 400m. Starting the season with this long-distance challenge will set the stage for what’s ahead. I’m ready to push my limits and make every moment count,” Tebogo told World Athletics.

Tebogo was at his dominant best in the 200m last season. He went undefeated throughout the season but lost his final race at the Diamond League Finals.