Top 10 Greatest Chelsea Players of All Time
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Top 10 Greatest Chelsea Players of All Time

Top 10 Greatest Chelsea Players of All Time

Chelsea Football Club. The only club in Europe to have won all of the UEFA competitions on offer. Current World Champions. Mix that in with the plethora of silverware the club has seen, including six First Division/Premier League titles, eight FA Cups, and five League Cup, it provides the Blues with 120 years of rich history that only a few English clubs can better.

Over a century of Chelsea has seen an abundance of legends, heroes, and magicians playing a crucial part in the ever-growing history of the West London football club. I could go on all day about the best to have played for the Blues, but unfortunately, I have to stick to 10.

From Peter Osgood to Gianfranco Zola, from Frank Lampard to Eden Hazard, here is Football Park’s stacked list of the 10 greatest Chelsea players of all time.


10. Roberto Di Matteo

There could have been many players who could have occupied this place – including the likes of the outstanding Ashley Cole, “Butch” Wilkins, Dennis Wise, Ruud Gullit, or Gianluca Vialli for his role in leading the Blues to their second European final victory against Real Madrid in 1998, but we have chosen to go for another Italian player turned manager in Roberto Di Matteo.

Our first but certainly not last Italian magician, Di Matteo signed for the club from Lazio in 1996, entering a Blues squad on the up both domestically and continentally. His Chelsea career begun excellently, as he scored at Wembley to help Chelsea lift the FA Cup in his first season versus Middlesbrough with an outrageous goal in the opening 43 seconds.

Di Matteo went on to score for the Blues in two more big finals – 1998 League Cup final and then two years later in the first FA Cup final of the 21st century – both in winning causes. This extraordinary record in finals made him just the second Blues player to have scored in three different finals.

After being forced to retire from football through injury in 2002, Di Matteo rejoined the Blues a decade later and continued what he was born to do – lead Chelsea to trophies. And in the most unforeseen circumstances, he managed just that, leading Chelsea through one of the greatest fairytale runs in Champions League history. The run included an iconic turnaround against Napoli, a historic victory over Barcelona (with prime Messi at that), before finishing the epic story with a monumental win against Bayer Munich in their own back yard. Legend.



9. Peter Bonetti

‘The Cat’ owns this tag for his obscene reflexes and majestic dives. Now, he may sound like another Italian in this list, but he was actually an England international – he only made a surprising seven caps internationally, however, due to unfortunately falling as the second choice behind the legendary Gordon Banks.

The Englishman was an immensely talented goalkeeper, who came up through the youth ranks via Worthing and Reading before making his debut for Chelsea at just 18. He entered the squad and ended up playing a pivotal role in Chelsea’s rise to the top – engineering the path for promotion to the First Division in 1963, before inspiring his side to League Cup success two years on.

His most undeniably heroic display, however, came in the 1970 FA Cup final against “Dirty” Leeds United. The match was almost the birth of a rivalry which has become very intense ever since this fixture which was eventually won by Chelsea in the replay.

This led to yet another incredible European Cup victory – this time a Cup Winners Cup versus Real Madrid in 1971. His 729 appearances at Stamford Bridge is the second most in Chelsea’s history behind only one Ron Harris.

Bonetti may not have brought the same level of success to the Blues as others on this list – including those who even missed out. However, the stories I have seen and heard about the Cat makes me feel genuinely devastated to have not seen him play.



8. Peter Osgood

Osgood was another player from Chelsea’s heroes lineup in the 1960s and ‘70s. His iconic Chelsea efforts saw Ossie accumulate 150 goals which sees him sit in fifth alongside Roy Bentley.

He was another key reason alongside Bonetti that inspired the Blues to FA Cup success over Leeds in 1970, with him notably scoring in every round of the competition, including scoring the goal to send the final’s replay into extra-time to send Dave Sexton’s side to FA Cup success for the first time.

After a controversial sale to Southampton four years later, he returned to a completely different Blues team towards the end of the ‘70s, in a season which ended in relegation.



7. Eden Hazard

The first modern-era player on the list, it is our Belgian wizard Eden Hazard. His famous “I am joining the Champions League winners” tweet was the beginning of a beautiful seven years in West London.

He lays claim to have been the most talented winger of his generation, compared to prime Neymar at times during his incredible spell with the Blues. Hazard was, in a way unfortunate to have joined Chelsea at the time he did, considering the Blues were soon having to recover from the departures of their two most iconic employees in John Terry and Frank Lampard (spoilers intended, but you knew they were coming!), but nonetheless it allowed him to shine through even more.

His trophy haul was still very impressive despite a very mediocre campaign in the midst of his two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and League Cup trophy, as well as two Europa Leagues – the latter of which came in Hazard’s final match for the club before leaving for Real Madrid, which ended in a fitting 4-1 thumping of Arsenal.

His four Chelsea Player of the Year awards, along with his 352 appearances and 110 goals make him one of the most skilled and talented players to have ever worn the Chelsea Blue.



6. Ron Harris

As aforementioned, ‘Chopper’ Harris is Chelsea highest-ever appearance maker, just five matches off 800 games during his 18-year Blues career. Captain and legend to our 1970 FA Cup final win and 1971 Cup Winners’ Cup success.

Mr. Chelsea’s successes with his boyhood club began when he lifted the FA Youth Cup at just 17 in 1961. In his first full season with the Blues, Harris featured in the team that defeated Sunderland to earn that prized promotion that set the club up for success for the next decade.

Following the cup successes in the 1970s mentioned above, Chelsea then had a drop off, as the Blues suffered two relegations. This is where Harris’ loyalty to the badge came through, however, as he stayed while many of the star names who beat Madrid left, despite his captaincy even being stripped of him and instead given to a young Ray Wilkins.



5. Petr Čech

Now for a second legendary keeper on the list. The Czechia shot stopper was one of two players on this list that José Mourinho demanded during his first – and more memorable – spell. Čech commanded THAT legendary defensive line which set a Premier League record of 15 goals conceded, while keeping 24 clean sheets and going a remarkable 1,025 minutes without even letting in a goal.

Even after recovering from a scary fractured skull during the 2006/07 campaign against Reading, he didn’t let up his incredible skills between the sticks. He also became known for being the man to rely upon in the big moments and finals. These memorable performances included the first FA Cup final at the new Wembley in 2007, the 2012 FA Cup final and in Chelsea’s first Champions League win in 2012.

Throughout his 11 year stay in West London, Čech made 163 Premier League clean sheets for Chelsea before making 202 overall once he left Arsenal. He also won four league titles and four golden glove awards, becoming Chelsea’s most decorated and successful keeper.



4. Didier Drogba

We now move onto another unlikely hero at Stamford Bridge, it’s Didier Drogba. The Ivorian wasn’t on Roman Abramovich’s radar before Mourinho convinced him to sign Drogba from Marseille in 2004 to add to his star studded lineup that won their first two Premier League titles back-to-back.

Drogba’s 164 goals in a blue shirt during his 381 appearances leaves him fourth on Chelsea’s all time scorers list. The Ivorian became renown for his incredible knack for scoring in finals – finding the net in nine. He is without a doubt the greatest and most consistent, reliable forward the Blues fans have ever witnessed and one of those players who would always give 100% effort for the badge.

During him emphatic time in England he won four FA Cups, three League Cups, three Premier League titles and a Champions League in his first spell at the club. In this UCL final, he produced one of the best farewell performances a Blues player could offer – a dramatic late equaliser, a foul which almost returned the horror feeling from Moscow just four years prior, to a coolly slotted penalty to send what would have felt like the away end, into raptures.

On his England return, he added a fourth league title during Mourinho’s second spell, in a season that felt like he was giving back to the Portuguese boss for his stunning career in the English capital.



3. Gianfranco Zola

The little magician. Zola joined the Blues from Parma in 1996, and despite only being with the club seven years, just like Hazard a decade on, Zola very quickly became adored by the Chelsea faithful.

Whether it was his trademark mazy dribbles which left defences all over the world unresponsive, or it was an emphatic free kick which left goalkeepers motionless, the Italian always found a way to get the Chelsea fans on their feet.

He scored 80 goals in 312 games for Chelsea, and many of these goals were magical moments and others that switched games entirely on its head. Franco’s first massive moment in a Blues shirt came in 1998, when his winner just moments after coming on as a sub sealed a famous Cup Winners’ Cup victory against Los Blancos – again!

Zola’s goals could be framed and hung up in the Louvre, he was honestly just that good. Even when he left to return to Italy in 2003, fans voted him as the greatest Chelsea player of all time.



2. John Terry

This was of course before the days of Frank Lampard and John Terry, who completely stole the show. Either of these superb footballers could be number one, but it is John Terry who comes in just short.

It was such a difficult choice as to who to put here, as Terry is without a doubt the best English defender ever, even staking a solid claim to be the best defender the Premier League has seen too. Born to lead from the outset, no one has captained Chelsea more than this man, who has Chelsea in his blood.

He has won all five of Chelsea’s Premier League titles, spanning a period of 13 years, in a career at the Bridge of almost two decades. His final PL title was also his 15th and final honour as a Blues player.



Terry lands third in the all time appearances list too, behind only Harris and Bonetti, scoring an incredible 67 goals while being a vital part in the best backline the Premier League has ever seen which further cements his claim into being the best defender English football has had.

Terry was, however, partial to the occasional news headline – and not for any good reasons. While off the pitch the less said the better, on the pitch, Terry was also known for disastrous moment. Firstly in Moscow in the penalty shootout, then four years on when he decided to knee Alexis Sánchez up the bum which resulted in him missing the final - thankfully it didn't prove costly.

But overall, Terry was simply an outstanding player and while you may not wish to meet him off the pitch during his playing days, on them he was a force to be reckoned with.

Captain. Leader. Legend.


1. Frank Lampard

It was a two-horse race, where in my humble opinion there is only one winner between Frank Lampard and John Terry. Super, Super Frank. Super, Super Frank. Super, Super Frank. Super Frankie Lampard.

Much more remembered and highly reminisced upon his playing days rather than his days in the dugout, but Lampard’s time at the Bridge was simply historical. For many reasons, such as his incredible role in midfield in which his record-breaking 211 goals in 648 games completely revolutionised the role.

He was a ruthless box-to-box midfielder, even more clinical than most top-flight forwards, Lamps always found a way to be in the right place at the right time and thump the ball into the net. Arriving from West Ham in 2001 did mean he wasn’t quite Chelsea through and through like our runner-up, but nonetheless his efforts for the Blues as player and even as manager do slightly eclipse that of JT’s.

Firstly, the English midfielder’s crucial goal to seal Chelsea’s first Premier League title in 2005 against Bolton. Lampard was also the captain in our back-to-back Champions League and Europa League wins in the early 2010s. Lampard was also the man who made Chelsea tick during their famous league successes – recording 31, 25 and 38 goal contributions in his title-winning campaigns at Stamford Bridge.

He also came back to the Blues in a management role in the summer of 2019, and in his first season in the PL dugout, he led a very young Blues side, who were also under a transfer embargo at the time, to the Champions League, with them winning it under a new manager the following season – but all Chelsea fans know who introduced some of those UCL-winning stars to regular top-flight football. As for his second spell, although it was more of a filler than anything, we don’t talk about that period.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist

Ben Growdon

Content Writer

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