Didier Drogba was a “monster in the dressing room” who won countless big games for Chelsea, according to Frank Lampard.

It was announced on Wednesday that Drogba would retire from the game at the age of 40 following a professional career spanning two decades, the peak years of which the Ivorian spent at Stamford Bridge.

In nine seasons across two spells, Drogba won a dozen major honours, including four Premier League titles and a famous Champions League triumph in 2012.

And Lampard, a key figure alongside the striker in the most successful era in Chelsea’s history, paid a glowing tribute to his former team-mate.

“I get asked a lot who are the greatest players you played with. One retired relatively recently in John Terry, and the other is Didier Drogba,” Derby County manager Lampard told a news conference.

“He is the most incredible player. He’s a monster in the dressing room.

“He won Chelsea countless titles, finals, semi-finals. He always turned up on the big occasion. He should be so proud of his career.

“On top of that he is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, men that I have played with. He is a friend, unselfish, humble, tough…I could speak all day about Didier Drogba.”