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Chelsea Football Club has risen like a phoenix from the ashes since the turn of the millennium. Russian businessman Roman Abramovich took over the club in 2003, and they haven't looked back since then. The Blues have been one of the most successful sides in England and Europe in the last two decades.
They have won five Premier League titles and as many FA Cups since Abramovich took over. The Blues remarkably won the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League back-to-back in 2012 and 2013.
They won the Europa League again in 2018-19 followed by a Champions League triumph three seasons later. Olivier Giroud was Chelsea's top scorer in both winning runs.
Players like John Terry, Frank Lampard, Eden Hazard, Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba have always stolen the headlines with their exploits for the Blues. They were all part of dominant Chelsea teams over the years that won trophies galore.
However, the well-oiled Chelsea machine have had some other key components that went unnoticed. These were players who did incredible things for the club and also won several honours. However, they were underappreciated because of their statistical output or the lack of it compared to others.
On that note, here's a look at the five most underrated Chelsea players in the Premier League era:
#5 Joe Cole
Joseph 'Joe' Cole was born in London, England, in 1981. He came through the youth ranks at West Ham United, and made his senior debut for them in 1998. Cole played for the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa, among others.
Cole made 282 appearances for Chelsea between 2003 and 2010. During that period, he scored 40 goals and provided 43 assists. He was a creative and technically gifted player who was clever with his movement on and off the ball.
He was known for his dribbling skills, and could create chances for his teammates as well as score goals himself. With the Blues, Cole won three Premier League titles and three FA Cups, among other honours.
Joe Cole also made 56 appearances for England, scoring ten goals. He retired in 2018 after a two-year spell with the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Cole remains one of only 11 players to have won three FA Cups and as many Premier League titles, and played in three FIFA World Cups.
#4 Florent Malouda
Florent Malouda was born in Cayenne, French Guiana, in 1980. He came through the youth ranks at French club Chateauroux, and made his senior debut for them in 1996. The winger rose to prominence during his spells with Lyon (2003-07) and Chelsea (2007-13).
Malouda played 229 games for Chelsea, scoring 45 goals and dishing out 44 assists. The Frenchman was a tricky winger, using his body feints and turn of pace to beat defenders and burst into space. He had a wand of a left foot, and was effective with his crosses as well.
The former Chelsea man won one Premier League title, three FA Cups, one FA Community Shield and one UEFA Champions League title during his time at the club. He won the Players' Player of the Year award at Chelsea for his stunning exploits in 2009-10. Malouda scored 15 goals and assisted a further 15 in 51 appearances that season.
Florent Malouda represented France on 80 occasions between 2004 and 2012, netting nine times. In 2017, he also played for the country of his birth - French Guaina - making four appearances.
Throughout his Chelsea career, he had various issues over wage demands and other contract details. That prevented him from truly settling in at the club, and also hampered his total output. Malouda retired in 2018.
#3 Ramires
Former Chelsea player Ramires Santos do Nascimento was born in Barra do Pirai, Brazil, in 1987. He came through the youth ranks at Brazilian club Joinville, and made his senior debut for them in 2006. Playing mainly on the right side of central midfield, he represented European giants Benfica and Chelsea, among others.
Ramires made 252 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 34 goals and bagging 26 assists. The Brazilian was known for his pace, acceleration and incredible work rate. He played a box-to-box role in midfield for most of his career, but was sometimes deployed as a right winger, owing to his speed.
The Brazilian enjoyed a trophy-laden spell at Chelsea. He won one Premier League title, one FA Cup, one League Cup, one UEFA Europa League title and one UEFA Champions League title during his time in London. He scored an incredible goal in the second leg of Chelsea's semi-final against Barcelona in the Champions League in 2012. That paved the way for the Blues' first triumph in the competition that year.
You can watch it here:
Ramires also played for Brazil 52 times, scoring four goals. He won the bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2009 with his national team.
He played a few games for Palmeiras during the 2019-20 season, but parted ways with the club by mutual consent. He is currently without a club, and is being eyed by teams in Japan's J-League.
#2 John Obi Mikel
John Obi Mikel was born in Jos, Nigeria, in 1987. He came through the youth ranks at Nigerian club Plateau United, and made his senior debut with Lyn in his native country in 2004. Mikel played mainly as a defensive midfielder, and is renowned for his 11-year spell with Chelsea between 2006 and 2017.
He played in 372 games for the Blues, scoring six goals and providing 13 assists. The Nigerian was a no-nonsense player, and knew how to control the midfield with his physical presence. He formed a solid block behind the likes of Frank Lampard and Juan Mata, who had more freedom to attack.
At Chelsea, the League Cup winner won two Premier League titles, three FA Cups, one UEFA Europa League title and one UEFA Champions League title. He has also represented Nigeria 91 times, and is ranked fourth in their all-time appearances list. Mikel won the African Cup of Nations with his national team in 2013.
John Obi Mikel recently played again in England, this time for Stoke City during the 2020-21 season. He played 41 games for the Potters before terminating his deal with them in 2021. Following that, he played a few games for Kuwait SC, where his contract was terminated yet again after he played only four games in five months.
Mikel is currently without a club.
#1 Cesar Azpilicueta
Cesar Azpilicueta was born in Zizur Mayor, Spain, in 1989. He came through the youth ranks at Spanish club Osasuna, and made his senior debut for them in 2006. He played for Marseille between 2010 and 2012 before moving to Chelsea in 2012 for £7 million.
Azpilicueta has played in 450 games for Chelsea, scoring 14 goals and providing 56 assists. The Blues captain plays at either right-back or centre-back, and is known for his tenacity, aggression and intelligent defending. He is extremely good in unsettling opposition strikers, and does not allow them an inch of space in and around Chelsea's penalty area.
Azpi is one of Chelsea's most decorated players this century, but does not get all the credit he deserves. With the Blues, the Spaniard has won two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, two UEFA Europa League titles and one UEFA Champions League title, among other honours.
Against Brighton & Hove Albion, the Chelsea captain made his 450th appearance for his club, 180th as their captain.
Azpilicueta has also played 36 games for the Spanish national team. With his country, he finished runner-up at the Confederations Cup in 2013 and the UEFA Nations League in 2020-21.
The Spaniard and his Chelsea team are currently second in the Premier League after a disappointing draw against Brighton.
