'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
10. Kerry Dixon
Signed from Reading by manager John Neal in 1983, Dixon became an instant hit at Chelsea. He was a prolific goal-scorer who netted 70 goals in his first two seasons. He was instrumental in bringing back Chelsea to the First division after being relegated in the 1987-88 season. Dixon scored 193 goals for Chelsea, and is the third highest goal-scorer for the club.
9. Dennis Wise
Wise was more known for his unsavoury off the field controversies and his indiscipline on the pitch. However, this player became the fans’ favourite after he captained the side to FA Cup titles and was part of the squad that won the UEFA Cup Winners Cup in 1998. He was a very aggressive, combative midfielder and will always be remembered for his sensational equaliser against AC Milan in the Champions League.
8. Didier Drogba
This man certainly is one of the best African players to have ever played in the Premier League. Bought from Marseille for £24 million, Drogba wasn’t an instant hit with the fans. However, the departure of Damien Duff to Newcastle opened the floodgates for Drogba as he became the first player since Dixon to net over 30 goals in a season. Drogba was instrumental in Chelsea’s success in the 2011-12 Champions League, as he scored decisive goals against Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
7. Petr Cech
One of the best goalkeepers in the modern era, Petr Cech is one of the best players to have ever donned a Chelsea shirt. He replaced Cudicini as the first choice goalkeeper and his contribution was telling when Chelsea won two League titles in 2003 and 2004. However, a life-threatening skull injury in 2006 put him out of competitive action for a while. But his return to football saw him go almost 810 minutes without conceding a goal. Cech was instrumental in the Champions League 2011-12 for Chelsea after he saved a couple of penalties in the final against Bayern Munich.
6. Roberto Di Matteo
You would be surprised to see Di Matteo on the list, but his contribution as a player was no less than his recent exploits as a manager. He helped the Blues to two FA Cup titles; scoring in both finals. After Villas Boas’ disappointing reign as the Chelsea manager, Roberto was giving the job to get the team together and prevent any more damage. He seized this opportunity and overturned a great deficit against Napoli to get into the pre-quarters. He led the Blues to their maiden Champions League title, surpassing the mighty Barcelona and Bayern Munich. However, he too suffered from the impatience of Roman and got sacked in the mid-season.
5. Peter Bonetti
Widely forgotten and underrated, Peter Bonetti was considered to be the best goalkeeper of his era. Nicknamed ‘The Cat’, he led Chelsea to an FA Cup title and played a major role in keeping out European giants Real Madrid to win the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
4. John Terry
He is a living legend for the Blues, his dedication to the club has been immense, leading them through tough times. Coined ‘Mr. Chelsea’, he has played an important role in steering the Blues to major trophies. He is the prime defender for Chelsea, and his absence from the line-up often leaves the defense weak and unstable. Terry was England‘s first choice captain and central defender, but controversies including the racism incident with Anton Ferdinand, led to souring of relations between him and the FA and John Terry retired from International football, describing his relations with the FA as ‘untenable’.
3. Bobby Tambling
Bought by Chelsea as a junior, Bobby made his debut for Chelsea at 17 years of age, and made his mark on English football. He impressed on his debut, scoring the winner against West Ham United. The departure of Jimmy Greaves to AC Milan led to Bobby’s ascent to the club’s first choice striker. He scored 22 goals in his second season at the club, however his contribution was in vain as the Blues were relegated. He later won the League Cup with Chelsea in 1964-1965. He continued his impressive scoring feats in the following seasons, as he became Chelsea’s all time top scorer with 202 goals. However, this record is set to be broken by Frank Lampard.
2. Frank Lampard
I have simply no words to describe this legend. Considered as one of the best attacking midfielders ever, Frank has amassed 199 goals in a Chelsea shirt, and is second in the list of Chelsea’s all time leading goal-scorers, behind the legendary Bobby Tambling. Super Frank has been an integral part of the team since the last decade, scoring more than 10 goals every season. Renowned for his work rate and box to box play, Frank is a fan-favourite and is known for his brilliant attitude and patience. Frank’s contract expires this summer with the owner Roman Abramovich not keen on extending his contract.
1. Gianfranco Zola
An absolutely fantastic player, great technical skill and with great ability, he is certainly Chelsea’s best player ever. Zola came to Chelsea and scored over 80 goals in 297 games. Throughout his career, he was a fan-favourite and charmed his way into the hearts of all supporters. He led Chelsea to 2 FA Cups and then won the UEFA Cup and Cup Winners Cup in the same calendar year. However, Claudio Ranieri’s rotation policy limited his first team appearances in the following seasons and he finally bid the club goodbye in 2002. Gianfranco may have played before the glories of Premier League titles, but he paved the way for Chelsea to become the club they are today.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the site.
