Former Chelsea captain John Terry has shared a touching story about his former teammate Solomon Kalou and how the Ivorian helped inspire a gesture of support for children back home.
Terry recalled that shortly after Kalou joined Chelsea, the forward asked him to donate some of his old football boots to children in Ivory Coast who were playing football without proper footwear.
According to Terry, Kalou explained that some children in his country played on gravel and dirt while barefoot. The request prompted Terry and other Chelsea players to take action by gathering football boots for the children.
“We then collected dozens of bags of shoes and sent them,” Terry said, describing the experience as one that strengthened the bond between the players.
Terry said stories such as Kalou’s experience helped teammates see one another as more than just footballers playing for the same club. Instead, they developed a relationship similar to that of brothers, which made them more willing to fight for each other on the pitch.
Kalou joined Chelsea from Feyenoord in May 2006 and spent six seasons at Stamford Bridge. During his time with the London club, he played alongside Terry, Didier Drogba and several other stars.
