Chelsea Greatest All-Time Team

This blogger Artur Yanturin of Russia copied many of my blog teams.  This blog was one of them.  It was my Russia All-Time Team here.  His team was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.   His Spartak Moscow All-Time team entry of was published in October 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2017.  His entry of the Dutch-German rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.  He also copied many many of my blog entries.

His Facebook and Instagram

2012 Champions' League

Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.


Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal,
Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City, Everton, Ipswich
Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, 
Leeds United, Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers

This is my selection of a 25 member all-time team for the club.  The number 25 was chosen because it is the official squad size for the Champions' League.

Chelsea had their first major success in 1955, when they won the league championship. They then won various cup competitions between 1965 and 1996. The club's greatest period of success has come during the last two decades; winning 17 major trophies, and 21 in total, since 1997. Chelsea have won five national league titles, seven FA Cups, five League Cups and four FA Community Shields, one UEFA Champions League, two UEFA Cup Winners' Cups, one UEFA Europa League and one UEFA Super Cup. Chelsea are the only London club to win the UEFA Champions League,[6] and one of four clubs, and the only British club, to have won all three main UEFA club competitions.

Cup Winners' Cup 1971

Team

GK: Peter Bonetti (England)

Nicknamed as "the Cat", Peter Bonetti was a legend at Chelsea. His finest moment came in the Final of the FA Cup in 1970 where his heroic play helped Chelsea to win the FA Cup. He was the FWA Player of the Year runner-up that year.  He played in NASL with St Louis Stars, and in Scotland with Dundee United as well.  However, he only earned 7 caps for England.  his career was limited by playing with Gordon Banks at the same time.  He was Banks' backup in the World Cup 1966.

Peter Bonetti

GK: Petr Cech  (the Czech Republic)
Cech  is best remembered for being Chelsea's undisputred starting keeper from 2004 to 2014.  He won almost everything in club football.  He is considered among the greatest of his era.  He also played for Sparta Prague, Rennes and Arsenal. For Czech Republic, he is the most capped player in the history of the Czech team, with 124 caps, and represented the country at the 2006 World Cup, as well as the 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 European Championships. 

GK: Thibaut Courtois (Beglium)

Thibaut Courtois joined Chelsea from Genk in 2011, but he was sent away to Atletico Madrid on loan. He won the Europa League in his first season.  He played for Chelsea between 2014 and 2018.  In 2018, he joiuned Real Madrid, winning two Champions League. He was the starting keeper for Belgium at World Cup 2014,  2018 and 2022, and Euro 2016 and 2020. Between 2011 and 2013, he had over 101 caps for Belgium.

RB: Branislav Ivanović (Serbia)
Ivanović began his career with FK Srem. He later played with OFK Beograd and Lokomotiv Moscow. In January 2008, he joined Chelsea.  He won nine major honours with Chelsea, including the Champions League and the Europa League. He is only five foreign players to appear in over 300 matches for the club. He has the most appearances for the Serbian national team in its history, having played 105 matches. He went to 2010 and 2018 World Cup.

LB/RB/CB: Cesar Azpilicueta (Spain)
A youth product of Osasuna, he spent three seasons in La Liga before switching to Marseille, winning four major honours with the French club. In the summer of 2012, he moved to Chelsea, winning the Europa League in his first season and a domestic double two years later.  From 2013, he played over 25 times.  he went to 2014 and 2018 World Cup Finals.

CB: John Terry (England)
John Terry is a top centre-back of his generation and was the captain for Chelsea during most of his Chelsea's rise to the top of English football starting in the season 2004-2005.  He won 4 Premiership titles and the Champions League in 2012.  Terry was named PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2005. For England, he earned 78 caps for England.  However, his career was overshadowed by several controversies.

John Terry

CB: Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal)
Ricardo Carvalho was the hero of Porto's Champions' League winning team in 2004.  He then played 6 seasons with Chelsea.  He also played for Real Madrid.  Jose Mourinho was his manager at the three clubs. He also played for Monaco and Shanghai SIPG. He was capped 76 times. He helped Portugal to reach the Final of Euro 2004 at home and the semifinal of the World Cup Finals in 2006.  He was a part of Portugal's Euro 2016 winning team.

CB/DM:  Marcel Desailly (France)
Marcel Desailly was considered to be one of the greatest defensive players during the 1990's.  He played 116 times for France, winning the WC in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000.  He was the first player to win the European Cup in consecutive seasons with different clubs, when he won it with Marseille in 1993 and AC Milan the following year.

CB: Ron Harris (England) 
Known by the nickname "Chopper", Harris played for Chelsea between 1961 and 1980. Harris is widely regarded as one of the toughest defenders of his era.   He captained Chelsea as it won the FA Cup in 1970.  Then, he helped Chelsea to win the European Cup Winners' Cup a year later in 1971, Chelsea's first ever trophy in Europe.  He finally left Chelsea in 1980 to become a player-coach at Brentford. He represented England at the U-23 level.

Ron Harris

LB: Graeme Le Saux (England)
Le Saux moved to England and debuted for Chelsea in 1989. He left joined Blackburn Rovers in 1993 and was part of their 1994–95 Premier League winning team. His return to Chelsea in 1997 in a £5 million transfer made him the most expensive defender in English football. He then played for Southampton. He played 36 times for England, starting all four England games at the 1998 World Cup Finals.

LB: Ashley Cole (England)
Ashley Cole was considered one of the finest leftbacks of his generation.  He was voted the England Player of the Year in 2010. He played in 3 World Cup Finals.  He is also England's most-capped full-back in history.  He played with Arsenal, but moved to its rival Chelsea in 2006.  In 2014, he moved to AS Roma in Italy.  He won the Champions' League in 2012 with Chelsea. 

DM: Dennis Wise (England)
In a career spanning over 20 years, Wise played for Wimbledon, Leicester City, Millwall, Southampton, Coventry City and, most notably, Chelsea. He was known as the most successful captain at Chelsea before the emerge of John Terry.  He captained Chelsea as they won two FA Cups, two League Cups and an UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Despite his successes at club level, he only earned 21 caps for England.

Denis Wise

DM: N'Golo Kanté (France)
Kante made his senior debut at Boulogne and then spent two seasons at Caen. In 2015, he joined Leicester City winning the Premier League in his only season there. The following year, he joined Chelsea, winning the league again in his first season and then, the Champions' League in 2021. He also won the PFA Players' Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year and became the first outfield player to win back-to-back English league titles with different clubs since Eric Cantona in 1992 and 1993. 

CM: Ray Wilkins (England)
Ray Wilkins started with Chelsea in 1973.  He also enjoyed success various clubs including Manchester United, AC Milan, Queens Park Rangers, and Rangers. He was remembered for winning the FA Cup in 1983 for Manchester United.  From 1976 to 1986, he was an important player for England, earning 84 caps.  He played in both 1982 and 1986 World Cup Finals. He won three Home Championships. He was elected into English Football Hall of Flame.

CM: Frank Lampard  (England)

Lampard was the all-time leading scorer for Chelsea.  he started his career with West Ham before joining Chelsea in 2001.  He won the Champions' League in 2012 and 3 Preimership with Chelsea.  He was runner-up at FIFA Player of the Year in 2015.  In 2014, he made a controversial move to Manchester City through a loan deal from NY City FC.  For England, he was a key player from 1999 and 2014.  The Lampard-Gerrard debate was a hot topic  throughout his career with England.

Frank Lampard

RW/LW: Charlie Cooke (Scotland)
Cooke began his professional career with Aberdeen in 1960 and moved to Dundee in December 1964, where he was voted player of the year. He signed for Chelsea in 1966 for a then club record of £72,000 as part of manager Tommy Docherty's restructuring of the Chelsea side.  He also won the FA Cup with Chelsea in 1970. The side won the Cup Winners' Cup the following season.  He also played in the United States. He earned 16 caps fopr Scotland between 1965 and 1975.

RW/LW/FW: Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
Arjen Robben was an important player for Bayern Munich's dominance in Europe as they reached three Champions' League Finals in 4 years, winning the one in 2013.  He also played with Real Madrid, Chelsea and PSV Eindhoven at the club level.  For Netherlands, he had 96 caps between 2003 and 2017.  He helped Netherlands to reach the Final of the 2010 World Cup Finals and then, four years later the semi-final of the World Cup in Brazil. 

LWF/FW: Eden Hazard (Beglium)
At the time of writing, Eden Hazard has already earned 100 caps and led Belgium to the semi-final of the World Cup in 2018.  He played for Lille in France for 8 years. He signed with Chelsea in June 2012, where he won two Europa League in 2012 and 2019. He won both FWA and PFA Player of the Year for the 2014-2015 season in England.  In 2019, he joined real Madrid.

LW: Pat Nevin (Scotland)
In a 20-year career, Pat Nevin played for Clyde, Chelsea, Everton, Tranmere Rovers, Kilmarnock and Motherwell as a winger.  He played with Kerry Dixon in the 1980's with Chelsea. He was the Chelsea Player of the Year: 1983–84, 1986–87.  He joined Everton in 1989, but never recaptured the form at Chelsea.  He was capped 28 times for Scotland between 1986 and 1996 but only managed to attend Euro 1992.

Pat Nevin

AM/SS: Gianfranco Zola (Italy)
Gianfranco Zola played with Diegoi Maradona at Napoli as a young player. He played for Parma between 1993 and 1996, winning the 1995 UEFA Cup with Tomas Brolin, Fernando Couto, Faustino Asprilla and Stefano Fiore. He moved to Chelsea in 1996 and won the FWA Footballer of the Year.  His transfer to Chelsea started a wave of foreign players heading over to England. For the national team, he only played 35 times for Italy due to overcrowding of attack midfielders during his prime. 

FW/CB: Roy Bentley (England)
Roy Bentley started with Newcastle United in 1946. He joined Chelsea in 1948.  He played 367 games for Chelsea and captained the club to their first League Championship in the 1954-55 season. He also played for Fulham and QPR after he left Chelsea. He also won 12 caps for the England national side. He played at the World Cup Finals in 1950, including the 1-0 loss against the United States.

LW/ST: Bobby Tambling (England)
Tambling was Chelsea's all-time top scorer for 47 years, with 202 goals in all competitions until Frank Lampard surpassed this total on 11 May 2013. Tambling remains Chelsea's all-time top scorer in league competition with 164 goals. After enjoying a successful career in the Football League during the 1960s and early 1970s, Tambling moved to Ireland. He subsequently played for several Irish clubs.  Capped 3 times. 

ST: Peter Osgood (England)
Osgood was a legend with Chelsea.  He helped them to win the Cup Winners' Cup in 1970.  Despite his successes with Chelsea, he only earned 4 caps.  Sir Ramsey is rumoured to dislike him for his playboy lifestyle.   He was a member of the 1970 World Cup squad, making two appearances against Czechoslovakia and Romania as a substitute. Near the end of his career, he played for Southampton, Norwich, Philadelphia Fury and a return to Chelsea.

Peter Osgood

ST Kerry Dixon (England)
After spells with Chesham United, Dunstable and Reading in the lower division, he signed with Chelsea in 1983, which was then in the 2nd division. He led them to first division in his first season.  For Chelsea, his 193 goals across all competitions made him their third-highest goalscorer of all time.  Dixon scored four goals in eight international appearances for England and represented the nation at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

ST: Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast) 

Didier Drogba was voted African Footballer of the Year twice; 2006 and 2009.  He is probably Ivory Coast's greatest ever player. The best part of his career was spent with Chelsea.  He won the Champions' League for 20011-12. He also finished the top scorer in the Premiership twice.  He also played in France, MLS and China. For his country, he led Ivory Coast to the World Cup Finals in 2006, 2010 and 2014. He was also their all-time leading scorer.

Didier Drogba

Honorable Mention

Ed de Goey (Netherlands), Carlo Cudicini (Italy), Edouard Mendy (Senegal), Bill Robertson (Scotland), William Foulke (England), Eddie Biedzwiecki (Wales), Dan Petrescu (Romania), Gary Cahill (England), David Luiz (Brazil), Frank Leboeuf (France), William Gallas (France), Colin Pates (England), John Dempsey (Ireland), Stan Wicks (England), Antonio Rüdiger (Germany), Thiago Silva (Brazil), Ruud Gullit (Netherlands), Terry Venables (England), Colin Pates (England), Ken Shellito (England), Stan Willemse (England),  Jack Harrow (England), Steve Clarke (Scotland), Eddie McCreadie (Scotland), Roberto Di Matteo (Italy), Joe Cole (England), Michael Essien (Ghana), Claude Makelele (France), Jorginho (Brazil), Juan Mata (Spain), Willian (Brazil),  John Hollins (England), Michael Ballack (Germany), Pat Nevin (Scotland), Michael Essien (Ghana), Alan Hudson (England), George Hilsdon (England). Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Netherlands).

Squad Explanation
The original team was created in 2016.  I redid it in December, 2024.

-- Frank Lampard, Peter Osgood, Gianfranco Zola, Petr Cech, John Terry and Didier Drogba are probably Chelsea's greatest players.  I do not need to explain their selection.  

-- From the 2012 Champions' League winning team, I have selected Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Petr Cech and Ashley Cole into my All-Time Team.

-- The team was updated after Chelsea won the 2021 Champions' League.  N'Golo Kante and Cesar Azpilicureta made this team.

Champions' League 2021

-- I have four players from 1998 Cup Winners' Cup team.  They were Gianfranco Zola, Steve Clarke, Ed de Goey and Dennis Wise.

-- Then, I took Charlie Cooke, Peter Osgood, Peter Bonetti and John Dempsey from the 1971 Cup Winners Cup team.

-- In 2005, The Chelsea Centenary XI was chosen through an online vote on their official website.  The Best XI were as followed: Peter Bonetti, Steve Clarke, Marcel Desailly, John Terry, Graeme Le Saux, Charlie Cooke, Dennis Wise, Frank Lampard, Gianfranco Zola, Peter Osgood and Bobby Tambling.

-- In 2024, the website Pride of London revealed Chelsea's Best Ever  XI: Petr Cech, César Azpilicueta, John Terry, Ron Harris, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, N’golo Kante, Cole Palmer, Gianfranco Zola, Eden Hazard, Didier Drogba, alongside Honorable Mentions: Thibaut Courtois, Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic, Michael Essien, Claude Makaelele and Diego Costa.  Cole Palmer was a surprise inclusion. They also came with their 10 Greatest Chelsea player of All-Time: 1) John Terry, 2) Frank Lampard, 3) Gianfranco Zola 4) Didier Drogba, 5) Peter Osgood, 6) Petr Cech, 7) John Harris, 8) Eden Hazard, 9) Denis Wise and 10) Roy Bentley.

-- In June 2024, Fourfourtwo also ranked the 10 best Chelsea players of all time.  The result were: 1) John Terry, 2) Frank Lampard, 3) Peter Osgood, 4) Didier Drogba, 5) Roy Bentley, 6) Gianfranco Zola, 7) Petr Cech, 8) Jimmy Greaves, 9) Ron Harris and 10) Peter Sillett.

-- The 90 min also created 25 Best ever Chelsea players of all-time. The ranking: 1) John Terry, 2) Frank Lampard, 3) Peter Osgood, 4) Didner Drogba, 5) Petr Cech, 6) Ron Harris, 7) Ashely Cole, 8) Gianfranco Zola, 9) Eden Hazard, 10) Peter Bonetti, 11) Kerry Dixon, 12) Dennis Wise, 13) Jimmy Greaves, 14) Claude Makelele, 15) Ruud Gullit, 16) Roy Bentley, 17) N'Golo Kante, 18) Cesar Azpilicueta, 19) Ray Wilkins, 20) Ricardo Carvalho, 21) Bobby Tambling, 22) Branislav Ivanovic, 23) Michael Ballack, 24) Charlie Cook and 25) Marcel Desailly. 

 -- The Chelsea Chronicle has also created their Top 10 Legends of the club, listing them as follows: 1) Frank Lampard, 2) John Terry, 3) Gianfranco Zola, 4) Ashley Cole, 5) Didier Drogba, 6) Eden Hazard, 7) Peter Osgood, 8) Ron Harris, 9) Petr Cech, and 10) Jimmy Greaves.

-- In 2016, I tried to include as many players as possible from the pre-Roman Abramovich eras.  I felt that the team needed more balance.  However, by 2024, I decided to select the best of Chelsea.  The players from Abramovich onward had achieved much more for the clubs.  Many of them were megastars in their time.  

Eden Hazard

-- The Swinging Sixties in London turned Chelsea into one of the most stylist and trendy clubs in that era. The players became cultural icons, but yet they were not just style; they backed up their newfound status with remarkable results on the field.  This mix of pop culture and sports excellence defined a special and memorable time for both the club and the city.  Ron Harris and Peter Osgood were selected into this team.

Goalkeepers

-- Peter Bonetti and Petr Cech are obvious choices for the top two goalkeepers.  Bonetti made over 700 appearances between 1959 and 1979.  He came second in the FWA Footballer of the Year awards in 1970, largely for his heroic performance at the FA Cup Final.  Meanwhile, Petr Cech is the most decorated goalkeeper in Chelsea's history, having secured four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and three League Cups. In European competitions, he triumphed with a Champions League title and a Europa League title.

-- In 2017, the third keeper was between Ed de Goey and Carlo Cudicini.  In 2024, I added Thibaut Courtois and Edouard Mendy into consideration.  In his first season at Chelsea, Ed de Goey was exceptional. His stellar performances played a crucial role in Chelsea's triumphs in both the League Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup.  However, he was unseated by Carlo Cudicini.  While Cudicini was a valuable asset for Chelsea, he never attained the status of being one of the world's top goalkeepers. Thibaut Courtois, during his tenure at Stamford Bridge, was widely regarded as one of the best in the world, evidenced by his Premier League Golden Glove win in the 2016-2017 season.  He was a starter for 4 seasons, while de Goey spent 6 years at Stamford Bridge, starting for only 3 seasons. Carlo Cudicini, during his 9-year tenure, was also a starter for 3 seasons only.  Edouard Mendy won the 2021 Champions League for Chelsea, being named as the FIFA Best Goalkeeper award for his performance in the campaign.  Mendy was only a starter for two seasons.  Overall, Courtois was also a better goalkeeper than Mendy for the team.

-- William Foulke only spent a season in Chelsea.  He was a crown-puller and being named the captain of the club.  Vic Woodley was an a early star of the club. Eddie Niedzwiecki took Chelsea back to the topflight in 1984.  He was brilliant with the club, but he was largely forgotten outside of Chelsea.

Defenders

-- Ron Harris, John Terry and Marcel Desailly were obvious choices for centerbacks. Terry won nearly every major trophy with Chelsea, such as the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League. In 2007, he was honored on the PFA Team of the Century (1997–2007), among other individual awards. Harris, during his extraordinary 19-year spell at Chelsea from 1961 to 1980, made a record 795 appearances, the highest in the club's history. His collection of trophies includes wins in the FA Cup, European Cup Winner's Cup, League Cup, and various others. Desailly led Chelsea as captain for the majority of his tenure at Stamford Bridge. His remarkable performances earned him prestigious honors, including selections for the Overseas Team of the Decade and the Overall Team of the Decade at the Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (1992/93 – 2001/02). Known for his versatility, Desailly could operate as a wing-back, defensive midfielder, or sweeper.

-- The last centerback was between John Dempsey and Ricardo Carvalho.  I also considered Gary Cahill, David Luiz, Frank Leboeuf, Antonio Rüdiger and William Gallas.  John Dempsey scored the winning goal at the Cup Winners' Cup in 1971.  His place in Chelsea's history is sealed.  Antonio Rüdiger, David Luiz and Gary Cahill probably should be selected over him, but I wanted to have a team balanced with players from before and after Roman Abramovich's era.  Upon delving deeper into my research, I concluded that Ricardo Carvalho was a superior player. His defensive pairing with Terry was instrumental in securing Chelsea their first league title in 50 years. During his time at Chelsea, he was widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the world. In comparison, Dempsey did not reach such esteemed heights.  In fact, Dempsey's name was not mentioned in either FourFourTwo or the 90min.

Ricardo Carvalho 

-- Ruud Gullit received an Honorable Mention for his significant impact on the club, as his signings elevated it to the status of a prominent European club. Although his individual performance may not have matched that of some others, Gullit played a historical role as his signings reshaped the club into a glamorous entity. He operated as a sweeper during his time with the team.

-- During my research, I encountered Stan Wicks, who played a significant role in Chelsea's league-winning team in 1955. Despite this, he didn't secure a spot in the starting lineup until November that year, when he took over from Ron Greenwood. Greenwood, who would go on to manage England's World Cup team in 1982, departed the club because of this change. Wicks remained with Chelsea for another year and a half before a career-ending injury cut short his time with the club, making his tenure relatively brief.

-- Peter Sillett held the title of Chelsea's highest-scoring defender in the club's history until being recently surpassed by John Terry. A key figure in Chelsea's 1955 league title-winning team, he was also recognized by FourFourTwo as the 10th greatest footballer in Chelsea's history. Steve Clarke spent 12 seasons here and was voted into their Centenary team. However, the poll was awarded in 2005 before the arrival of Branislav Ivanović, Dan Petrescu, César Azpilicueta and Paulo Ferreira. Most modern polls or lists ranked either Ivanovic or Azpilicueta as Chelsea's greatest rightbacks. Ivanović played a pivotal role during the club's most successful period, while Azpilicueta enjoyed a long and consistent career. Ivanovic was ranked by 90min as the 22nd greatest footballer from Chelsea. Originally a right-back, César Azpilicueta's versatility became evident during his time at Chelsea, where he transformed into one of the top left-backs in Europe. He also played as a central defender for manager Antonio Conte. He spent 11 seasons with the club, winning the 2021 Champions' League title as their captain.

-- On the left, Ashely Cole was considered Chelsea's greatest leftback.  He was probably the third or fourth most important defender after John Terry, Ron Harris or Marcel Desailly. He also made my all-time team for Arsenal.  The second leftback position was between Eddie McCreadie and Graeme Le Saux.  During the 1965 League Cup final, McCreadie scored the winning goal against Leicester City's goalkeeper Gordon Banks with a 80-yard dribble, securing a 3-2 first-leg victory. This goal ultimately resulted in his club winning the trophy, as the second leg finished in a goalless draw.  However, most lists rated Le Saux ahead of McCreadie.  Le Saux was an important player in the 1990's. He contributed to victories in the League Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, and FA Cup. Unfortunately, he was sidelined due to injury during the last two final matches.  Meanwhile, Jack Harrow and Stan Willemse made honroable mention.  Harrow was the first Chelsea player to make over 300 appearances for the club.  Willemse helped Chelsea to the league title in 1955.

Midfielders/Wingers

-- The blog team was created in September, 2016 when N'Golo Kanté had spent less than two months in Chelsea.  Since then, he had won the PFA and FWA Player of the Year in 2016-2017.  Then, in 2021, he helped Chelsea to win the Champions' League.  He was added to the team in 2021.

N'Golo Kante

-- Dennis Wise was renowned for his industrious presence in midfield.  He was voted into Chelsea Centenary XI while ranked very high among the list of greatest Chelsea players.  He also spent 11 years with the club.  

-- Due to the presence of Kante and Wise, Claude Makelele and Michael Essien became expendable. Although Makelele and Essien were probably better players than Wise, Wise held a more iconic status within the team. Makelele had approximately four strong seasons with the club, whereas Essien struggled with injuries during his time at Chelsea. Additionally, Marcel Desailly had the versatility to play in midfield.

-- Juan Mata helped Chelsea to win the Champions' League, Chelsea's biggest trophy at the time of writing.  He was Chelsea Player of the Year that season and the season after too.  However, he only earned Honorable Mention.  Frank Lampard and Gianfranco Zola were ahead of him.  I do not need a third offensive-minded midfielder. Both Lampard and Zola were consistently ranked among the greatest Chelsea player of all-time.   In 2005, Lampard was named FWA Footballer of the Year and finished runner-up for both the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year.  Meanwhile, Zola made history as the first Chelsea player to ever win the FWA Player of the Year award. His arrival at the club, alongside Gianluca Vialli and Ruud Gullit in the 1990s, transformed Chelsea into a formidable force on the continental stage.

-- In 2024, feeling the team needed an additional midfielder, I deliberated between Makelele and Essien but ultimately opted for Ray Wilkins, a Chelsea academy product. Wilkins featured in 198 matches for Chelsea, with 170 of those as the team's captain. He played a pivotal role during the period when Chelsea was a weak team due to financial difficulties, emerging as a standout figure for the club.  He was also a different type of midfielders from the other candidates.  Essien was more of a box-to-box midfielder, the team already had Lampard and Kante in similar roles. Wilkins specialized as a deep-lying midfielder shielding, a position where the team faced a shortage. His presence was deemed more critical than that of Makelele, a specialist in pure defensive duties.

-- On the right wing, I first took Charlie Cooke who played with Peter Osgood in the 1970's.  Arjen Robben played a pivotal role in Chelsea clinching consecutive Premier League titles, marking the club's most significant triumphs since the 1950s.  In 2016, I left him off the team, due to his susceptibility to injuries. Nevertheless, my perspective shifted in 2024.  When healthy, Robben was considered one of the best players in the Premier League when fit, a distinction that Nevin did not achieve.  Nevin played with Kerry Dixon in the 1980's with Chelsea. He was the Chelsea Player of the Year: 1983–84, 1986–87.  

Arjen Robben

-- For 2014-2015 season, Ed Hazard was the best player in the Premiership, winning both FWA and PFA Player of the Year award. Not many Chelsea player could claim that.  He operated as a left wing-forward.  

Forwards

-- Didier Drogba's exceptional legacy at Chelsea is exemplified by the awards and honors he won, including the Premier League Golden Boot in 2006-07 and 2009-10, induction into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2022, and many more.  Notably, he played a pivotal role in securing the club's first Champions League title as a standout performer.

-- Peter Osgood played a crucial role in Chelsea's success during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He helped the club win the FA Cup in 1970 and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1971.  He also played in the Swinging Sixties in London, where the club became a cultural symbol at the time.  

-- In early 2003, Gianfranco Zola was voted as the best ever Chelsea player by Chelsea's fans.  Zola's transfer from Italy to Chelsea at the time was uncommon for an Italian player of that calibre to play in England.  Of course, Gianluca Vialli came the reason before, but it was after his prime.  He did score over 40 goals here and became a player-coach, but others have done more here.

Gianfranco Zola

-- Roger Bentley led Chelsea to its first League title in the 1954-55 season as captain, scoring 21 league goals during that time. This victory held immense significance as Chelsea did not secure another league title for half a century. Bobby Tambling held the title of Chelsea's top scorer for 47 years and spent more than a decade with the club. Kerry Dixon, who stayed with Chelsea for 9 seasons, was the second-highest goal scorer in the club's history for an extended period. Dixon played a crucial role in Chelsea's ascent to the Second Division title in 1984, propelling the team back to the top tier of English football.  Tambling was Chelsea's all-time leading scorer until Frank Lampard broke his record in 2013. This group of players kept Jimmy Greaves out of the team. Although he scored an impressive 132 goals in 169 games for the Blues, he was more associated with the rival club Tottenham Hotspur. His tenure at Chelsea lasted only four seasons. Moreover, there was no need for as many forwards on the team.

-- George Hilsdon was the first Chelsea player to score a 100 goals, but the younger players were too strong.

Formation