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Premier League giants Chelsea have had the privilege of fielding some excellent defenders over the course of their history. Even before Roman Abramovich took over the club in 2003, the Blues rarely had trouble signing some sure-footed defenders.
Since being founded in 1905, Chelsea have always had at least one or two defenders leading them through troubled waters.
From flying full-backs to lion-hearted centre-backs, the west Londoners have had them all. Today we will take a closer look at the defenders who helped the club become the juggernaut it is today.
Here are the six greatest defenders in the club's history:
#6 Ron Harris
Nicknamed 'Chopper', Ron Harris was one of the strongest and most aggressive centre-backs of his time. Unlike modern-day stars who spent an awful amount of time rolling around and diving, footballers back in the 1960’s and '70’s were all about authority. There was no room for soft tackles, every challenge was life and death for the players involved.
Chelsea’s Ron Harris was everything you could possibly want in an old-school defender. He was strong as an ox, was never afraid to get involved, and produced inch-perfect challenges on cue.
He served the Blues diligently for 19 years between 1961 and 1980, making a total of 795 official appearances, the most in the club’s history. With him on the pitch, the Londoners were always a force to be reckoned with, irrespective of the team they were up against.
The legendary Chelsea captain, unfortunately, did not win much with his favorite club. His major honors included an FA Cup, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1971), and a League Cup (1965).
#5 Cesar Azpilicueta
The only active player to make the list, Cesar Azpilicueta, is one of the best right-backs to ever play in the Premier League. The Spaniard, who moved to Stamford Bridge in 2012, has been leading the west London outfit by example, producing exceptional performances every week.
The former Marseille man has won it all with the Blues. He helped the club to the Europa League title in his debut season and has not looked back since. Irrespective of the coach he plays under, the 32-year-old always manages to become a mainstay.
Over the last decade, the former Marseille man has featured in 459 games for the club from west London, registering 15 goals and 56 assists.
Azpilicueta, who is out of contract next summer, has won two Premier Leagues, one Champions League, and two Europa Leagues amongst other honors in London.
#4 Marcel Desailly
French superstar Marcel Desailly led Chelsea from the front for six long seasons, winning multiple trophies. Impressed with performances for France and AC Milan, the Blues signed the World Cup winner in the summer of 1998.
The versatile defensive-minded Frenchman could operate expertly both as a defensive midfielder and a centre-back. Most importantly, he was always eager to teach budding footballers his methods and famously mentored John Terry in his early days.
Desailly spent six seasons at Stamford Bridge, making a total of 218 appearances for the London outfit. Courtesy of Manchester United’s dominance in the Premier League, Desailly could not celebrate a league title with Chelsea.
He only won one FA Cup, two FA Community Shields, and one UEFA Super Cup before his contract came to an end.
#3 Ricardo Carvalho
Jose Mourinho decided to make his Porto general Ricardo Carvalho his first Chelsea signing. Carvalho was not as brash or outspoken as most English defenders. It was his understated, quiet intelligence that helped him stand out from the crowd.
Carvalho was quick to strike up a relationship with John Terry, and the duo helped Chelsea to their first league title in 50 years. The team conceded only 15 goals en route to Premier League glory in 2004-05 — the fewest a team has let in in the competition's history.
Before leaving Stamford Bridge for Real Madrid in 2010, Carvalho played 210 games for the Blues. His excellence at the heart of the defense helped the English club to a total of three Premier League titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups, and a Community Shield.
#2 Ashley Cole
One of the most controversial figures in English football, Ashley Cole was nothing but a godsend for Chelsea. He signed for the Blues’ from arch-rivals Arsenal, sending shockwaves around the world.
One of the best left-backs in Arsenal history, Cole reportedly held a meeting with then-Blues manager Jose Mourinho behind the Gunners’ backs. After the details were revealed, both the player and the manager were fined by the court.
Cole was one of the best in the league's history. He was quick, intelligent, and was equally effective in both attack and defense.
Over the course of his eight-year spell in west London, the Englishman was one of the first names on the team sheet.
The left-back helped the cup to one Premier League, one Champions League, four FA Cups, and one Europa League, amongst other honors.
#1 John Terry
The unchallenged best defender in the history of the great English club, John Terry, sits pretty atop the list. Having risen through the ranks of the club’s academy and subsequently proven his mettle at Nottingham Forest, Terry joined Chelsea’s senior team in 2000.
The young, charming Englishman quickly became a fan favorite and produced performances to back up his newfound stardom.
The former England international was not only a rock-solid centre-back, but he was also quite a force to be reckoned with on the other end. Over the course of his glory-laden Chelsea career, the defender featured in 713 games for the Blues. He registered 67 goals and 29 assists in that stretch.
The former skipper won five Premier League titles, one Champions League, five FA Cups, and one Europa League amongst other honors.
Regarded as one of the best defenders in history, Terry was named UEFA Club Defender of the Year in 2005, 2008, and 2009.
