Our definitive list of the 10 best Chelsea players ever.
10. John Terry 1998 –
Terry has been been a mainstay in the squad ever since making his debut for the club back in 1998 and has gone on to become the club’s most successful captain.
Never shy for commitment or effort, his off field antic have often let him down where he has been so exemplary on it. Still has a key part to play in the squad despite his advancing years and could even manage the team one day.
9. Kerry Dixon 1983 – 1992
One of the finest strikers to pass through the club’s doors. He came dangerously close to equalling Bobby Tambling’s record by hitting an impressive 192.
Any Chelsea fan in the ’80s idolised Dixon and he is still remembered as the fine servant that he was. Eventually sold to Southampton at the birth of the Premier League era he went on to have a long career after leaving Stamford Bridge.
8. Jimmy Greaves 1957 – 1961
Greaves was one of the most prolific strikers this country has ever produced and it all began with an astonishing 132 goals in 169 games – all over the space of just four years.
Scored four goals in his last ever game for the club before being sold to AC Milan, and why they decided to let him go remains a mystery. He later returned with Tottenham and was a part of the England squad that won the World Cup in 1966.
7. Gianluca Vialli 1996 – 99
Although he was firmly in the twilight of his career when he joined the club, he still boasted an impressive strike rate of 40 goals in 78 matches.
He was a part of the first wave of flashy foreigners into Stamford Bridge that helped change the club’s image into something more cosmopolitan and was even named as manager when he hung up his boots, winning an FA Cup, League Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners Cup.
6. Bobby Tambling 1959 – 1970
Tambling may have been ruthless on the pitch, but the fact that he was a well renound gentleman off it proved just how popular he was on all fronts.
His goalscoring record of 202 goals in 370 games was only broken for the first time this year yet nobody could take away his strike rate of 0.54 per game. He graciously congratulated Frank Lampard once his record was broken and he remains a true credit to the club.
5. Dennis Wise 1990 – 2001
Chelsea were not a glamorous club when he joined in 1990, but Wise helped the club back into the land of milk and honey, though, by captaining them to success in the FA Cup twice, the League Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup over an 11 year stretch.
Known as a spiky character on the pitch, his leadership skills were never in doubt and he is still admired to this day for all of his hard work for the team. Sadly, he only managed to pick up 21 caps for the England national side during this time and many Chelsea fans still hope that he will make a return to Stamford Bridge in some capacity in the future.
4. Peter Osgood 1964 – 1974, 1978 – 79
Osgood was one of the most majestic and iconic forwards in the club’s history and is still revered as one of the best players to grace the west London outfit.
Story has it that he was given ten games to prove himself as a younger by Tommy Docherty and he took the chance and carved out a legacy as a legend. So much so that a statue of him currently stands proudly in front of the stadium.
3. Didier Drogba 2004 – 12
Drogba made headlines from the moment he put pen to paper on his first deal with the club. Many had not heard of the Ivorian hitman before, but they quickly learned who he was thanks to his explosive performances on the pitch.
Quick, agile and incredibly deadly in front of goal, it was only fitting that he was able to lift the Champions League title with the club before moving on in 2012. Still fondly remembered by all connected with the side, he is still going strong and scoring freely in Turkey with Galatasaray.
2. Gianfranco Zola 1996 – 2003
The diminutive Italian remains one of the most exciting players to ever pull on a Chelsea shirt and the fact that he is still so popular with both Chelsea and non-Chelsea fans alike is a testament to both his character and ability.
Quickly set himself up in the Premier League alongside Mark Hughes, he was able to both score and create in equal measure, though it’s not hard to see why considering he was Diego Maradona’s understudy whilst at Napoli in the early stages of his career.
1. Frank Lampard 2001 –
It took a while for Frank Lampard to be accepted by the club’s faithful upon his arrival from West Ham in 2001, but if there is now one player that embodies Chelsea so completely it is Lampard.
A free scoring midfield general with an eye for a pass, it is hard to imagine Chelsea without Lampard in the side and there was a collective sigh of relief when he signed a new one year deal over the summer.
He was also the player that finally broke Bobby Tambling’s goal scoring record last season.