The 12 best players of Chelsea of all time
Chelsea is one of the most traditional and prestigious clubs in the country. They own a series of noble titles from the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao to UEFA Champions League… Of course, to have such success is the spending from former chairman Roman Abramovich. In addition to the efforts and contributions of the players, the star is classified as “Legendary”. Who are those? Let’s take a look at the top 12 best players of Chelsea of all time with the admin Kingsoccertips right below.
Best players of Chelsea – Top 12
1/ Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard is the greatest legendary Chelsea player in the club’s history, he has been with the team for 13 years and won every trophy big and small. Lampard is an all-powerful central midfielder, he has the ability to score, assist and coordinate the game very well.
To date, Lampard has scored 211 goals for Chelsea, making him the highest scorer in the club’s history. He is also the only player to score in 4 FA Cup finals. Lampard is an icon of Chelsea and he will forever be remembered as one of the team’s greatest players.
2/ John Terry – Best players of Chelsea
John Terry spent 19 years with the Stamford Bridge team, making 717 appearances in all competitions and scoring 67 goals. Wearing the captain’s armband, John Terry led Chelsea to nearly every trophy at club level. This midfielder born in 1980 currently owns a long series of achievements with the club including 5 Premier League titles, 1 Europa League and 1 Champions League.
A product of Chelsea’s youth academy, Terry has a strong, aggressive style of play and accurate tackling ability, he exemplifies what an ideal captain is. Wearing the captain’s armband, John Terry led Chelsea to nearly every trophy at club level.
3/ Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba is considered as Chelsea’s “talisman”, when at his peak, he led the team’s attack through difficult periods. During his time with the Blues, Drogba scored more than 160 goals and always shone in important matches. There is no striker who can replace Drogba in this squad.
During his football career, Drogba is considered one of the greatest strikers of the English Premier League, as he scored a lot of goals and helped Chelsea win three league titles between 2004 and 2010. The player also played a decisive role in the 2012 Champions League campaign. Upon his return in the 2014/15 season, Drogba continued with the team that dominated the Premier League.
4/ Petr Cech
When it comes to Chelsea’s goalkeeper position, we cannot ignore the legendary name, the number one goalkeeper Petr Cech. He is the veteran goalkeeper of the Blues having made 494 appearances and was also a mainstay of the team during its heyday.
The star has made an important contribution to making Chelsea one of the major forces in England, while winning the most important trophies with the team including the Champions League and Europa League. Petr Cech also won 4 FA Cup titles and 4 Premier League “Golden Glove” awards. Because of those achievements, Cech has appeared in Chelsea’s greatest team.
5/ Gianfranco Zola – Best players of Chelsea
Gianfranco Zola is one of the best foreign players in Premier League history and is considered a leading name in Chelsea’s attack. He showed a strong influence in 7 years playing for the Stamford Bridge team, from 1996 to 2003.
He was also the first Chelsea player to win the FWA’s Player of the Year award in 1997. At Chelsea, Zola played over 300 matches and won 2 FA Cup titles, 1 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, 1 League Cup title and 1 European Super Cup. It can be said that Zola is one of Chelsea’s most successful signings.
6/ Ron Harris
Known as “Chopper”, Harris’ name brightened when he played for Chelsea and was the most played player in the club’s history. Moving up from the youth team, Harris began his first-team career and the former star played football for the next 19 years.
Ron Harris is known for his aggressive kicking style and ability to play as a defender or defensive midfielder. He captained Chelsea en route to winning the 1971 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, which was the club’s first continental title. While Ricardo Carvalho can also be considered a formidable opponent, he can’t match the legendary Ron Harris, who is known as the “woodcutter.”
7/ Eden Hazard – Best players of Chelsea
In the best players of Chelsea list, it is certainly indispensable that the No. 1 name on the left wing corridor – No. 10 Eden Hazard. Hazard is one of the most beloved players by Chelsea fans, after dedicating himself to the team for 7 years. The Belgian star has played an important role in the team’s attack, thanks to his speedy and technical play, along with his keen dribbling and goalscoring abilities. It is these great qualities that Hazard has become one of Chelsea’s top attacking spearheads.
After playing over 350 games for Chelsea, he scored 110 goals and won 2 Premier League titles along with 2 Europa League titles. In 2019, Hazard left Chelsea to join Real Madrid, thereby making this signing the most expensive deal in the club’s history. But with what Eden Hazard has contributed to the club, he has left a deep mark on the hearts of Chelsea fans.
8/ Michael Essien
There is a name that when it comes to all Premier League teams to be wary of, that is Michael Essien, who has made more than 250 appearances and brought a lot of goals to Chelsea. Previously, the Ghanaian helped Chelsea win 2 Premier League titles and 4 FA Cup titles.
Along with winning the Champions League in 2012. During the peak of his career, Michael Essien was one of the top midfielders in the world. Not only does he do a good job of breaking down the opponent’s squad structure, but he is also capable of scoring beautiful goals from outside the penalty area.
9/ Claude Makelele
Makelele is one of the most elite defensive midfielders who has impressed in a Chelsea shirt. With his excellent defensive ability, he is a reliable fulcrum that helps the team’s middle line fulfill its defensive role well and gives teammates in the upper line more peace of mind when participating in attack.
During his 5 years at Stamford Bridge, Claude Makelele held his position invulnerably. He won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and was voted Chelsea’s ‘Player of the Year’ in 2006. The defensive midfield position requires a lot of strength and Makelele is considered the originator of this position with his signature style of play.
10/ Ashley Cole – Best players of Chelsea
Ashley Cole has begun to emerge for neighbours Arsenal, but he is still considered a Chelsea legend thanks to his contributions since joining the Blues in 2006. With more than 330 appearances in all competitions during 8 years of dedication to the Stamford Bridge team, this famous left wing-back has won Premier League, Champions League and Europa League titles.
He has also been voted Chelsea’s ‘Player of the Year’ 2 times. At this position, perhaps Cole is clearly unrivaled. After moving from Arsenal to Chelsae, Cole quickly took a starting spot in the Blues’ squad. The success of No. 3 is unquestionable.
11/ Cesar Azpilicueta
Branislav Ivanovic can be seen as a serious rival for Azpilicueta, but the Chelsea captain is still guaranteed a place on this list. With more than 500 appearances during his 10 years of service to the team, Cesar Azpilicueta has proven his certainty.
He has won 2 Premier League titles, 1 FA Cup and 2 Europa League and in particular, he captained the Blues in the Champions League winning campaign in the 2020/21 season. As a reliable Chelsea captain, having Azpilicueta’s name in this squad is well deserved.
12/ Bobby Tambling – Best players of Chelsea
One more legendary Chelsea player in the club’s history is Bobby Tambling. He played for Chelsea from 1959 to 1970 and scored 202 goals in 370 matches. Tambling helped Chelsea win many trophies, including 1 First Division title, 2 FA Cups, 2 League Cups and 1 European Cup Winners’ Cup. The superstar was also voted Chelsea’s Player of the Year in 1967.
The legendary Bobby Tambling once held the record for the greatest goalscorer in Chelsea history for almost 50 years. Bobby owns an impressive record of 202 goals in 370 games for the Blues. In February 1959, it took Bobby 14 minutes to score his debut goal against West Ham United. Bobby took over as Chelsea captain at the age of 21, helping the team to promotion in 1963.
Conclude
Thus, above are the top 12 best players of Chelsea. In the mecca of Stamford Bridge, they brought fans dramatic, exciting and artistic matches. The moments when stepping on the pitch of legendary Chelsea players have gone down in history with unforgettable contributions. Although the Blues are struggling at the moment, with such a glorious history, fans believe that Chelsea will return soon.