Top 10 Chelsea Best Players of All Time (Ranked)

One of the household names in European football, Chelsea, has been consistently evolving in the 21st century. In 2003, the Blues saw a major change in the leadership of the club with Russian business tycoon Roman Abramovich becoming Chelsea’s owner. After his takeover, the club saw an unprecedented era of success, winning almost every trophy.

The Blues lavishly spent over £2 billion, signing some of the biggest names in football. From the record-breaking signing of Enzo Fernandes to Fernando Torres’ signing from league rivals, Liverpool. With the combined madness and tactics of ‘The Special One’, Jose Mourinho, Chelsea haven’t been the same, winning numerous trophies. It’s not like how fans presume nowadays that Chelsea wasn’t competitive or won anything before Roman Abramovich’s era; they did have a trophy-laden cabinet at the Stamford Bridge Stadium.

Players such as John Terry, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, and Eden Hazard were particularly impactful and achieved success during their time at the club. It’s hard to decide the top 10 Chelsea best players, given the numerous talented footballers who have donned the Blues jersey over the years. Still, after analyzing several key players over the years, we have compiled a list of some of the greatest Chelsea players of all time

Ranking Factors

Impact: The primary aspect of ranking the best players in the history of any club is to look at a player’s impact in bringing triumph to the team with their brilliance and key performances on the pitch.

Longevity: After impact, longevity is one of the crucial aspects that we considered; their tenure with Chelsea, wearing the traditional sky blue shirt. It reflects the longevity and durability of their spell in London.

Achievements: The number of trophies, titles, and honors a Chelsea player acquired during their time with the European giants. It’s a vital factor in ranking the greatest Chelsea players of all time.

Chelsea Best Players of All Time

10. Cesc Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas established himself as one of the key figures in the midfield for Chelsea during the Jose Mourinho era. The Spanish midfielder was often compared with Michel Platini for his passing ability and game-reading. Having spent 5 years with Chelsea, winning several trophies made him one of Chelsea’s best players. His deeper creative position enabled him to create plays from the back.

Appearances	Goals	Assists	Trophies Count
198	22	57	4

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9. Claude Makelele

Claude Makelele is often regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders ever to grace the field. He joined Chelsea from Real Madrid and showcased a better version of himself. The Frenchman was so good at what he did, they named his position, ‘The Makelele Role’. His defensive qualities, coupled with his game reading, made him one of the Chelsea best players.

Although he could play much further ahead in the field, he still served as a defensive midfielder. Makelele was known for his speed, tactical discipline, and ball-winning ability.

Appearances	Goals	Assists	Trophies Count
217	2	6	6

8. Ashley Cole

At the 8th position, we have someone who is hailed as one of the best left-back in the history of the English Premier League and Chelsea. Arsenal fans still scratch their heads about how they let Cole leave, given his skills and performances. His transfer was a real coup. Although he wasn’t known for his goal-scoring ability, Cole has scored bangers and screamers from time to time.

No one can forget the performance he displayed against Barcelona in the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League. His duels against peak Dani Alves and Lionel Messi were crucial in knocking out Barcelona, and he went on to win his only UEFA Champions League trophy.

Appearances	Goals	Assists	Trophies Count
337	7	33	9

7. N’Golo Kante

N’Golo Kante joined Chelsea after winning the English Premier League with Leicester City. Kante was known for his discipline, dynamic play style, relentless energy, and excellent ball-winning abilities in the center of the field. Always doing the dirty work for his team as a defensive midfielder. The Frenchman has played more than 269 games for Chelsea and was never shown a red card, which shows how good his performance and discipline were.

Appearances	Goals	Assists	Trophies Count
269	13	16	6

6. Petr Cech

In sixth position, we have one of the greatest Premier League goalkeepers of all time, Peter Cech. Donning the jersey of the Blues, he played for 11 years, filled with impressive moments of brilliance. If we have to pick the greatest performance of his career at Stamford Bridge, then without a single doubt, it’s the 2012 UEFA Champions League final against Bayern Munich.

His performance between the sticks during the night of the final helped Chelsea win the UEFA Champions League trophy. The Czech International, Peter Cech, played an important role for the Blues, with over 494 games to his name and keeping 228 clean sheets.

Appearances	Clean Sheets	Goals	Trophies Count
494	228	0	15

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5. Gianfranco Zola

Gianfranco Zola is a name defenders would love to forget. During his peak form, he was a real pain for defenders, making it hard to mark or stop him. He was once voted as the club’s greatest player before the arrival of Frank Lampard. The Italian forward played 312 games for the Blues, where he netted more than 80 goals and won several trophies at the club. Zola was known for his close-range control over the ball and his graceful dribbling, which made it hard for defenders to anticipate.

Appearances	Goals	Assists	Trophies Count
312	80	42	6

4. John Terry

John Terry spent 19 long years at Chelsea, showcasing his class and dedication to the club. During the successful era of the club under Roman Abramovich, he went on to become one of the crucial players in the team, leading from the back.

It’s not too surprising that he went on to lift 14 trophies as skipper, including the Champions League and five Premier League titles, and became the club’s most successful captain.

Appearances	Goals	Assists	Trophies Count
717	67	27	17

3. Eden Hazard

In the fourth position, we have Eden Hazard, who joined Chelsea from Lille in 2012, and during his peak form, he was one of the finest dribbles in the world. During his 7-year spell at Stamford Bridge, he played a crucial role in the club winning several trophies, like the FA Cup, English Premier League, and more.

The Belgian forward, Eden Hazard, was known for his dribbling skills and vision. During his peak form, he was dubbed as one of the best wingers.

Appearances	Goals	Assists	Trophies Count
352	110	85	6

2. Didier Drogba

In the second position, we have Didier Drogba, a worst nightmare for the defenders. Drogba had a legacy of performing during big games which earned him a reputation of being one of the clutch players for the team. The Ivorian international was known for his aerial ability, pace, strength, and powerful strikes. The bigger the stakes were, the better he performed.

He scored 157 goals in 341 games in his first stint before Jose Mourinho called him for one more season, where he helped the Blues win their second-ever UEFA Champions League trophy. The Ivorian striker, Didier Drogba, is regarded as one of the greatest Chelsea players in history.

Appearances	Goals	Assists	Trophies Count
381	164	78	14

1. Frank Lampard

At first, we have the all-time top goal scorer for Chelsea, Frank Lampard. Who would have thought a midfielder would score more goals than a forward? His knack for scoring bangers from out of the box is still unmatched to this date. Frank Lampard was known for his vision to create impressive plays and his tireless work rate.

His leadership and clutch plays made him a key player during the Jose Mourinho era. Frank Lampard played an important role and ended up winning 13 trophies with the club.

Appearances	Goals	Assists	Trophies Count
648	211	146	13

List of the Top 10 Chelsea Best Players of All Time

Rank	Players	Position	Spell at Chelsea
1	Frank Lampard	CM	2001 – 2014
2	Didier Drogba	ST	2004 – 2012 & 2014 – 2015
3	Eden Hazard	LW	2012 – 2019
4	John Terry	CB	1998 – 2017
5	Gianfranco Zola	SS	1996 – 2003
6	Petr Cech	GK	2004 – 2015
7	N’Golo Kante	CM	2016 – 2023
8	Ashley Cole	LB	2006 – 2014
9	Claude Makelele	CDM	2003 – 2008
10	Cesc Fabregas	CM	2014 – 2019

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