Just like every other club, Chelsea football club have had many ups and downs througout its history and besides the period of poorer performances, they have won many honors during its glorious days and also hosted brilliant and talented players since the inception of the club.
Chelsea Fc is an football club that was founded in 1905 in London making the club 106 years old and actually the club is also referred to as "The Blues". Since the club about 106 years old, this mkaes it feature as one of the oldest and most popular football clubs in England.
The football club Chelsea currently competes in the England top flights League known as the Premier League and this club have always been among the top English football clubs due to their numerous achievements and honors both in England and in international competitions.
Chelsea so far in the History of the club, they have won, 6 Premier League titles, 8 FA Cups and 5 EFL Cup at the national level then at the international level, the club has won 2 Champions League, 2 European Cups, 1 European Super League cup and 2 Europa League titles.
Chelsea are one of the most successful English football clubs in history, having won 34 trophies - including two Champions Leagues - since the club's inception in 1905.
During that period, some of the best players in world football have adorned the Blues' shirt, stamping their authority within the club's history and etching their names into the pantheon of greats to have plied their trade in west London.
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Best Chelsea Players of All Time
So below in this article, you will discover the list of the greatest Chelsea players of all time and also some of their great achievements that they made at the club. Stay glued to this page and discover the best Chelsea player of all time in the history of the club.
1. John Terry
John George Terry is a an English professional footballer who was born on the 7th December 1980 in Chelsea and he also played of his town club for the major part of his career. During his career, he was captain at Chelsea, the England national team and also Aston Villa. It is of no doubt that he is actually among the best Chelsea defenders of all time.
He was nicknamed the eternal Captain of Chelsea and is also the most decorated Chelsea captain ever in the history of the club as he won a total of 17 trophies with the Blues. Among these trophies was 5 Premier League titles, and he became the first Captain to lift the Premier League trophy 5 times when he did it for the fifth time in 2017. Further to that, John Terry has won 5 English FA Cups, 3 League Cups, 3 English Super Cups and most especially a Champions League in 2012.
John Terry actually holds the record of the third most capped player in the history of the club with 717 matches played after Ron Harrison with 795 and Peter Bonetti with 729 matches played for Chelsea.
As individual honors, John Terry was named for FIFPro World XI for 5 times in a row that is from the year 2005 to the year 2009, he was also named as the UEFA Club defender of the year 3 times.
2. Franck Lampard
Franck Lampard is the one and only attacking midfielder on this list of the best Premier League XI ever. Franck Lampard is a 42 years old retired English footballer who has played for Chelsea during the majority of years in his career. He played at Chelsea for 13 years that is from the year 2001 to the year 2014.
Even though he was a midfielder during his career, Lampard presently stands as Chelsea's top scorer of all time with 211 goals to his name in 648 appearances that he made for the club, this means an average of almost one goal in every match and this is a record that none of Chelsea forwards have never broken until now.
Franck Lampard also has a number of individual honors to his name including the Ballon Dor Silver award in the year 2005, Premier League player of the season in the year 2004-2005 and Premier League top assists provider in the year 2004-2005, 2008-2009, 2009-2010.
Franck Lampard style of play was exceptional and he could play in any position in the midfield and also as a supporting striker. He could also score goals from a distance as he had a heavy and accurate shot even though from a distance.
3. Didier Drogba
Didier Yves Drogba Tebily is a retired professional football player born on 11 March 1978 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast and played for Chelsea as striker for a major part of his career.
The Ivorian international is actually one of the best players ever and also an unforgettable legend at the London club due to his great performances and achievements at the Club.
Didier Drogba played for the Premier League club in 2 spells, one in which he represented the Blues from the year 2004 to 2012, scoring 157 goals in 341 games for Chelsea and also helped the club win numerous trophies that includes; 3 Premier League titles, 4 English FA Cups, 4 English Super Cups, 2 English League Cup and 1 Champions League. His second spell with the Blues was when he returned to to club in the year 2014 for a single more season , where he scored 7 more goals in 40 games and also winning the Premier League title and English League Cup.
Didier Drogba actually stands as the Club's 4th all time high scorer and also the best foreign scorer in the history of the club. As individual achievements, the striker finished as Premier League top scorer twice in the year 2007 and 2010 respectively and has also be named as the African player of the year twice in 2006 and 2009.
4. Michael Ballack
Michael Ballack is a German professional footballer who was born on 26 September 1976 in East Germany and he played in the position of a midfielder during his years as a footballer.
Michael Ballack is popularly regarded as one of the best Chelsea players of all time and also as one of the best German midfielders of all time. He joined Chelsea in the year 2006 after having won numerous trophies with the Bavarians.
He represented the colors of the Blues for 4 years and played in 167 games for the blues, scored 25 goals and provided 24 assists. During his years at Chelsea, the German midfielder helped Chelsea win some trophies that include; 3 English FA Cups, 2 English Super Cups, 1 English League Cup and 1 Premier League title that was obtained in his last season with the club.
Aside from club football, Michael Ballack is was also a successful player even the German national team where he made 98 appearances that includes 3 EUROS, and 2 World Cups, he has scored a total of 42 goals for the German national team.
Ballack was mostly known for his amazing ability to make long range passes and intelligence on the pitch also differentiated him from his teammates on the pitch. according to numeorous peoples point of view, Michael Ballack is one of the best Chelsea players of all time whose performances for the Blues will never be forgotten especially by Chelsea fans.
5. Petr Cech
Petr Cech is a professional football player that was born on 20 May 1982 in Plzen , playing in the position of a goalkeeper, he spent most of his career with the Blues in the Premier League.
Petr Cech represented the Blues for a long period of 11 years and he won and achieved every club honor that a player can achieve with a club, this means that he is well placed to be named on this list of the greatest Chelsea players ever in the history of the club. Also, this goalkeeper is the most capped Chelsea's player among foreign players having a total of 494 appearances with the Blues.
Petr Cech at his goalkeeping post, there is no other goalkeeper that can compete his achievements with the Blues, he holds the record of making the most clean sheets in the history of the club with a total of 228 clean sheets during his 11 years with Chelsea.
He left the Blues in the year 2015 after he had 13 major trophies and this stands as the best record by any goalkeeper who has played for Chelsea.
6. Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard is a professional football player that was born on 7th January 1991 in Belgium and he represented the colors of the blues for quite a long period of time and went ahead to establish himself as one of the best Chelsea players ever.
The Belgian winger moved to Chelsea from the French club LOSC Lille where he had already won the Ligue 1 young player of the year award twice and these his achievements encouraged Chelsea to sign him from the French club and which they did.
Eden Hazard played at the London club for 7 years before he eventually moved to Real Madrid. During his 7 years at Chelsea, he made a total of 352 appearances with the blues and scored 110 goals and provided 92 assists. Eden Hazard was a key player at the club and he helped them secure 2 Premier League titles in 2015 and 2017, 1 English FA Cup, 1 English League Cup and 2 Europa Leagues.
Eden Hazard was awarded the PFA young player of the year during his second season with the blues and also after the Blues had won the Premier League in the year 2015, Eden Hazard was awarded named as the FWA PFA player of the year.
7. Peter Osgood (1964-74)
Peter Osgood is often considered one of Chelsea's greatest-ever forwards. Known for his elegance and skill, he played a vital role in Chelsea's successes in the 1960s and 1970s, including their first-ever FA Cup win in 1970.
Tall and skilled, "Ossie" was an important part of two Chelsea victories. He scored in every round as the Blues won the FA Cup in 1970 and in both games of the European Cup-Winners' Cup final the following year.
Osgood's ability to bounce back from a broken leg in 1967 and modify his style of play to play central midfield was more evidence of his tenacity. Because of his qualities, he remained at Stamford Bridge for a further seven years before leaving for Southampton in 1974. A real legend of Chelsea.
8. Gianfranco Zola (1996-2003)
Gianfranco Zola is widely regarded as one of the most technically gifted players to have worn the Chelsea jersey. His skill, creativity, and eye for goal made him a fan favorite. Zola's impact on the team was immense, helping Chelsea win numerous trophies, including the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
9. Jimmy Greaves (1957-61)
Greaves, who is better recognized as a Spurs and England icon, was most productive with Chelsea, scoring roughly one goal per game over the course of four seasons for a team that was primarily struggling in the First Division. Greaves left Chelsea for AC Milan shortly after turning 21.
Greaves scored 22 goals in one season as a 17-year-old, making it almost impossible to understand how he was able to manage such a productive output in his first seasons of professional sport.
Greaves was one of (Ted) 'Drake's Ducklings,' a less successful response to the Busby Babes, and he combined speed, dribbling prowess, and deadly finishing to create a true phenomenon.
10. Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole was one of the best left-backs of his generation. His defensive prowess, pace, and attacking contributions made him an integral part of the Chelsea team that enjoyed considerable success, including multiple Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League.
Final Thoughts On Best Chelsea Players of All Time
It's important to note that rankings can vary based on personal opinions and perspectives. Different fans may have different favorites or consider other players equally deserving of recognition.
This list represents just a handful of the many incredible players who have graced the Stamford Bridge over the years. Each player brought their unique qualities and contributed to the success and legacy of Chelsea Football Club.
I hope you found this ranking interesting! If you have any more questions or need further information, feel free to ask.
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Premier League strike Partnerships?
The Premier League have ben home to some great striking duos as those listed above and according to the above ranking, the best ever Premier League duo is that of Thiery Henry and Dennis Berkhamp.
Top 10 Premier League strike Partnerships?
As the top ten Premier League best Strike partnership of all time. we have ; Thierry Henry and Dennis Berkamp Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka Wayne Rooney and Ruud Van Nistertooy Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn Alan Shearer and Les Ferdinand Robbie Fowler and Stan Collymore
Who is Chelsea greatest player of all time?
Undoubtedly, Chelsea's greatest player of all time goes to John Terry who played a major role in the team's defense during his career.
Who is Chelsea all top scorer?
Frank Lampard 211