15 Chelsea’s Best Players Of All Time

Chelsea Football Club is a professional football club based in London, England. It was founded in March 1905 and has since become one of the most successful clubs in English football history. Over the years, Chelsea has fielded some of the most formidable players in the game, both past and present, who have made significant contributions to the club’s success.

The team has won numerous domestic and international titles, including six English Premier League titles, eight FA Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles, among others. With a rich history and a strong squad of players, Chelsea Football Club continues to be a dominant force in world football.

Best Chelsea Players of the 21st Century

1.    John Terry

• Position: Center Back
• Chelsea Career: 1998-2017
• Achievements: Premier League ( 2006, 2010, 2015, 2017), FA Cup ( 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012), League Cup ( 2005, 2007, 2015), Champions League (2012), Europa League (2013), 2 times Chelsea Player of the Year
• Games Played: 717 (3rd most appearances in the club’s history)
• Goals Scored: 67 (highest-scoring defender in the club’s history)

John Terry is a successful Chelsea academy graduate and one of the greatest defenders of his generation. He has made over 700 appearances for the club, winning 14 major trophies as their captain. These include five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, two League Cups, one Champions League, and one Europa League.

2.    Frank Lampard

• Position: Midfielder
• Chelsea Career: 2001-2014
• Achievements: Premier League (2005, 2006, 2010), FA Cup (2007, 2009, 2010, 2012), League Cup (2005, 2007), Champions League (2012), Europa League (2013), 3 time Chelsea Player of the Year
• Games Played: 648 (4th most appearances in the club’s history)
• Goals Scored: 211 (highest goalscorer in the club’s history)

Frank Lampard had an extraordinary 13-year stint at Stamford. He won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, the Europa League, and the Champions League in 2012. Lampard was a versatile player who dominated both in attack and defense. He scored over 200 goals for Chelsea as a midfielder, which is an impressive feat.

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3.    Didier Drogba

• Position: Striker
• Chelsea Career: 2004-2012, 2014-15
• Achievements: Premier League (2005, 2006, 2010, 2015), FA Cup( 2009, 2010, 2012), League Cup (2005, 2007, 2015), Champions League (2012), 1 Chelsea Player of the Year
• Games Played: 381
• Goals Scored: 164 (4th most goals in the club’s history),

Didier Drogba scored 157 goals in 341 appearances during his first spell at Chelsea and added another seven goals in 40 games when he returned. He won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, and the Champions League. Drogba was named Chelsea’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year, and he won the Premier League Golden Boot twice.

4.    Petr Cech

• Position: Goalkeeper
• Chelsea career: 2004-2015
• Achievements: Premier League (2005, 2006, 2010, 2015), FA Cup (2007, 2009, 2010, 2012), League Cup (2005, 2007, 2015), Champions League (2012), Europa League (2013), 1 time Chelsea Player of the Year, 4 Premier League Golden Gloves, 3-time UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year
• Games Played: 494
• Clean Sheets: 228

Petr Cech is one of Chelsea’s greatest goalkeepers. He contributed to the club’s success in various competitions, including the Premier League, FA Cup, Europa League, and UEFA Champions League. Cech is characterized by his exceptional ability to stop shots, commanding presence in the penalty box, and excellent distribution skills. Cech played for Chelsea and achieved many clean sheets. He was named Chelsea’s Player of the Year in 2011 and made it to the PFA Team of the Year four times.

5.    Claude Makelele

• Position: Defensive Midfielder
• Chelsea career: 2003–2008
• Achievements: Premier League (2005, 2006), FA Cup (2007), League Cup (2005, 2006)
• Games Played: 217
• Goals Scored: 2

Claude was a significant player for Chelsea after being signed by the club following the takeover by Roman Abramovich. His strong defensive abilities and exceptional game-reading skills enabled the attacking players on the team to move forward with confidence. Claude Makelele’s contributions were so significant that a position was named after him. During his five-year tenure at Chelsea, Claude played a key role in the team’s success, including winning two league titles, an FA Cup, and two League Cups.

6.    Eden Hazard

• Position: Left Winger
• Chelsea career: 2012-2019
• Achievements: Premier League (2015, 2017), FA Cup 2018, League Cup 2015, Europa League (2013, 2019), 4 times Chelsea Player of the Year, 1 Premier League Player of the Year, 1 Europa League Player of the Year
• Games Played: 352
• Goals scored: 110

Belgian player Eden Hazard had a successful spell at Chelsea. During his 7-year stay at the club, he helped them win several major titles, including two Premier Leagues, two Europa Leagues, an FA Cup, and a League Cup. Hazard was also a significant goal threat and scored 110 goals in 352 appearances, making him the ninth-highest scorer in Chelsea’s history.

7.    N’Golo Kante

• Position:  Defensive Midfielder
• Chelsea career: 2016–2023
• Achievements: Premier League (2017), FA Cup (2018), Europa League (2019), Champions League (2021), FIFA Club World Cup (2022),
• Games Played: 296
• Goals Scored: 14

N’Golo Kante is without a doubt one of the most vital players to have played for Chelsea. This French midfielder joined the club in 2016 and became an irreplaceable asset to their success. Kante is highly recognized for his tireless work rate and his exceptional ability to dismantle opposition attacks. He played a pivotal role in Chelsea’s triumphant campaigns in the Premier League in 2017 and the UEFA Champions League in 2021. Kante has rightfully earned numerous individual awards for his outstanding performances, including the prestigious PFA Players’ Player of the Year award in 2017. He is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest midfielders in the world.

8.    Ashley Cole

• Position: Left Back
• Chelsea Career: 2006-2014
• Achievements: Premier League (2010), FA Cup (2007, 2009, 2010, 2012), Champions League (2012), Europa League (2013), 2 times Chelsea Player’s Player of the Year
• Games Played: 338
• Goals Scored: 7

Ashley Cole’s talent caught the attention of Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, resulting in his signing on the transfer deadline day of August 2006. In seven seasons, he played 338 times and won nine trophies, including the Champions League and Premier League.

9.    Diego Costa

• Position: Striker
• Chelsea career: 2014–2017
• Achievements: Premier League (2015, 2017), League Cup (2015)
• Games Played: 120
• Goals Scored: 58

Diego Costa’s illustrious football career includes a prolific stint at Chelsea, where he scored a total of 58 goals in 120 appearances. The Spanish forward, who was born in Brazil, joined the London-based club in 2014 and quickly made a name for himself in the Premier League. With his impressive physicality and impressive finishing skills, Costa became one of the most feared strikers in the league during his time at Chelsea.

His ability to score crucial goals in important matches helped the club win two Premier League titles and a League Cup. Despite leaving the club in 2017, Costa’s contributions to Chelsea’s success will always be remembered, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers to have ever played for the club.

Best Chelsea Players of the 20th Century

10.  Peter Sillett

• Position: Full Back
• Chelsea career: 1953–1962
• Achievements: 1955 First Division title
• Games Played: 288
• Goals Scored: 34

Peter Sillett was a football player who played for Chelsea for nine seasons. He played 288 games, scoring 34 goals. Most of his goals came from free-kicks and penalties. He was a defender and known for his hard-working and tough-tackling style. At one point, Sir Stanley Matthews said that he was the best full-back in the world. He was the highest-scoring defender for Chelsea until John Terry overtook him.

11.  Ron Harris

• Position: Center Back
• Chelsea career: 1961–1980
• Achievements: 1965 League Cup, 1970 FA Cup, 1971 Cup Winner’s Cup
• Games Played: 795 (most appearances in the history of Chelsea)
• Goals Scored: 14

Harris was a well-known soccer player recognized for his tough-tackling style. He was referred to as “Chopper” because of his aggressive playing style. Harris played for Chelsea 795 times, making him the club’s record-ever appearance-maker. He was a vital part of the team that won the FA Cup in 1970 and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1971. Harris is considered one of the best defenders to have ever played for Chelsea.

12.  Jimmy Greaves

• Position: Striker
• Chelsea career: 1957–1961
• Achievements: 1965 League Cup
• Games Played: 169
• Goals Scored: 132

Jimmy Greaves is a legendary football player who is highly associated with Chelsea FC. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest strikers in the history of English football. During his time at Chelsea, he managed to score an impressive 132 goals in just 169 appearances, which is an astonishing feat. Greaves was an essential part of the Chelsea team that claimed the 1964–65 Football League Cup, and his outstanding goalscoring abilities helped Chelsea finish as runners-up in the league on two occasions. Overall, his contribution to Chelsea’s success and his exceptional skills on the field have earned him a place in the hearts of football fans everywhere.

13.  Roy Bentley

• Position: Striker
• Chelsea career: 1948-1956
• Achievements: Captained Chelsea to the 1955 First Division title, the first in the club’s history.
• Games Played: 367
• Goals scored: 150 (5th highest scorer)

Roy Bentley was a prominent footballer who played as a striker for Chelsea Football Club from 1948 to 1956. He was an instrumental figure in the club’s success during this period, and his leadership skills were pivotal in leading Chelsea to win their first-ever league championship in 1955, where he served as the team’s captain. During his time at the club, Bentley was widely regarded as one of the most prolific strikers in the English game, having scored an impressive 150 goals in 367 appearances for Chelsea.

He was known for his physical strength, aerial ability, and goal-scoring prowess, which helped the club achieve great heights. Besides his contributions to the team’s league success, Bentley was also a key factor in their FA Cup win in 1955, where he played a significant role in securing the trophy for the club.

14.  Peter Osgood

• Position: Striker
• Chelsea career: 1964–1974
• Achievements: 1971 European Cup Winners’ Cup
• Games Played: 289
• Goals Scored: 105

Chelsea Football Club legend, “The Wizard of Os,” is considered one of the club’s greatest players. He was instrumental in bringing hope to the club and scoring crucial goals that led to Chelsea’s success. He was particularly skilled at scoring in important games, including three major cup finals in a row. He helped Chelsea win the European Cup Winners’ Cup by scoring in the final and the final replay, where the Blues triumphed over the powerful Real Madrid. Osgood scored a total of 105 goals for the club, and a statue of him was erected outside the West Stand at Stamford Bridge to commemorate his contributions.

15.  Gianfranco Zola

• Position: Left Winger/Right Winger
• Chelsea career: 1996-2003
• Achievements: 1997 FA Cup, 1998 League Cup, 1998 Super Cup, 1998 Cup Winner’s Cup, 2000 FA Cup, 2 times Chelsea Player of the Year
•  Games Played: 312
• Goals Scored: 80

Gianfranco Zola, a legendary Italian footballer, joined Chelsea in 1996 from Parma and played for the club for seven years. During his time at Chelsea, he made 318 appearances, scoring 80 goals, and became one of the most loved players in the club’s history. He was known for his skillful and creative play, and his ability to score goals from free kicks and penalties.

Zola’s contribution to Chelsea’s success was immense, as he played a pivotal role in winning several titles for the club. He won two FA cups, the UEFA Super Cup, one League Cup, and the Community Shield. He was also named the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year in 1997 and was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2006. Overall, Zola’s time at Chelsea was marked by his exceptional performances, his contribution to the club’s success, and his popularity among fans. He remains a beloved figure in the history of Chelsea Football Club.