Chelsea has been one of the most successful teams in England in the last two decades. Their significant achievements have been possible because of the top players they had along the way. Read on to learn the top 10 Chelsea players of all time.
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich’s injected money has helped the Blues attract top foreign players and improve academy structures. The Blue Army has enjoyed some emphatic achievements over the last few years.
Taking advantage of the setbacks of arch Rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, Chelsea have stretched their foothold in the history of English football. Many of the top 10 Chelsea players are from the last two decades. So, without further ado, let’s find out more about them.
10. Eden Hazard (2012–2019)
Eden Hazard‘s time at Chelsea was memorable for the fans because of the fantastic moments the Belgian has given them to cherish. Joining the team in 2012 from Lille, Hazard became a crucial player of the squad in no time. He had the support of some other Chelsea greats in his initial years.
But, it was his fantastic dribbling and shooting qualities that became the centre of attraction. Hazard became a nightmare for the Premier League defenders because of his sleek movement and rapid pace. Playing 352 games across all companions for the west London club, the Belgian scored 110 goals and gave 92 assists, which is more than impressive in terms of Premier League’s levels.
He helped the team win 2 Premier Leagues, 1 English FA Cup, 1 English League Cup and 2 Europa League. He bid goodbye to his admirers in style by putting in an awe-inspiring performance in the 2019 Europa League final against Chelsea’s arch-rival Arsenal. We have picked Eden Hazard in the 10th spot of the top 10 Chelsea players list.
9. Peter Osgood (1964-1974 & 1978-1979)
Peter Osgood helped Chelsea gain a respectable stature in English football when the Blues were not as famous as it is today. The English centre-forward was clinical in front of the sticks, scoring 138 goals in 346 games.
Peter Osgood scored in the final of the 1970 FA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup in the next year, helping the Blues win both titles for the first time in their history. We have placed Peter Osgood in the 9th position of the top 10 Chelsea players of all-time list.
8. Ron Harris (1960–1980)
Chelsea’s legendary defender Ron Harris has seen it all: the good, the bad and the ugly. Known as one of the toughest tacking defenders, Harris quickly rose to fame. His world-class defensive qualities were on full display in the 1970 FA Cup final, one of the most physical ones in the competition’s history.
Even though his teammates kept changing, he spent two decades with the first team, making 795 appearances, a record still standing to this date. Harris secured 1 FA Cup, 1 English League Cup and 1 European Cup during his time at Chelsea. Due to his incredible contributions, we have placed Ron Harris in the 8th spot of the top 10 Chelsea players of the all-time list.
7. Dennis Wise (1990-2001)
Since joining from Wimbledon FC in 1990, Dennis Wise quickly became one of the enticing characters in the dressing room. The attacking midfielder was known for his excellent game awareness, which eventually helped Chelsea win the small battles in the critical region.
Wise was hungry for scoring goals but never overlooked his teammates when they were in a better position to score than him. Bagging 65 goals and 34 assists in 404 matches, Dennis helped the Blue secure 2 FA Cup, 1 English Super Cup, 1 Uefa Supercup and 1 European Cup (Europapokal der Pokalsieger Sieger). Dennis Wise is 7th in the top 10 Chelsea players of the all-time list.
6. Peter Bonetti (1976–1979)
Without Peter Bonetti’s incredible saves in the two legs of that famous 1970 FA Cup final, Chelsea wouldn’t have been able to secure their first-ever FA Cup triumph. Standing at just 5ft 10 inches, Peter Bonetti, was far from the typical goalkeeper.
But, whenever required, he gave pivotal performances in important games. The Englishman played inside the stocks for Chelsea 520 times, helping them win 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup and 1 European title. Peter Bonetti is 6th in the top 10 Chelsea players of the all-time list.
5. Gianfranco Zola (1996–2003)
Before the Abramovich era, Gianfranco Zola was the Chelsea superstar who dominated English football. Being technically gifted, creative and selfless, Zola mainly was used as a service provider for the forward players.
The versatile player played several roles like the second striker, attacking midfielder, and winger whenever required. The Italian secured 76 goals and 22 assists in six years with Chelsea, helping them win the FA Cup 2 times, the English League Cup 1 time, the English Super Cup 1 time, and Uefa Supercup 1 time.
4. Petr Cech (2004–2015)
A big-hearted goalkeeper, Petr Cech was known for his bravery and dedication. Even though he betrayed the club in 2015 by joining direct rivals Arsenal, Blues fans don’t hold any grudge against him today because of his enormous contributions. He was the wall that denied top strikers and kept Chelsea alive in crucial matches.
Playing 494 games in 11 years, he gave some sensational performances, including the Champions League final. He helped the team win 4 Premier League, 1 Champions League, 1 Europa League, 4 FA Cup and several other significant accolades.
3. John Terry
John Terry played the leadership role in Chelsea’s successful era. The Englishman could sense the danger beforehand, which helped him intercept crucial attacks of the opponents. He was a no-nonsense defender who was unwilling to take any chances and always acted in the team’s best interest.
One of the special abilities Terry had was an eye for goal. He secured 41 goals in 492 appearances, a Premier League record still unbroken. The English defender had the chance to secure his first Champions League title for Chelsea in 2008, but missed the crucial penalty in the end against Manchester United, which cost them the title.
4 years later, he led his team again in the final and that time he returned with the title. Terry helped his team win 5 Premier Leagues, 1 Champions League, 5 FA Cup, 1 Europa League and several other major titles.
2. Didier Drogba (2004–2012, 2014–2015)
Didier Drogba didn’t have much popularity in the European football community when Jose Mourinho signed him in 2004. However, he determined his own destiny and became one of the most clutch players in English football’s history.
Drogba had the perfect balance of pace and skills, which helped him leave defenders in agony. He bagged 164 goals and 87 assists during his whole Blues career. He was a player who stepped up whenever required.
By putting the final penalty kick past Manuel Neuer in 2012, Drogba helped Chelsea pick the first Champions League in history. He secured four more Premier Leagues, 4 FA Cups and other major titles during his time.
1. Frank Lampard (2001–2014)
Frank Lampard is one of such players who might bleed blue if checked. Lampard’s undying love for Chelsea made him a fan favourite among fans; however, history will forever remember him as one of the greatest midfielders.
Starting in 2001, Lampard developed himself into a crucial squad member because of his stamina, game awareness and incredible work ethic. Being deployed in several midfield positions, sometimes even in the second striker role, Lampard ticks all the boxes of a versatile player.
Having scored 211 goals in 648 matches, he became the highest-scoring player and 4th highest appearance maker for the Blues. Lampard helped the team win 3 Premier Leagues, 4 FA Cups, 1 Champion League, 2 English League Cup, 2 English Super Cup, and 1 Europa League.
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