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The 19th May 2012 will always be remembered as one of the greatest days in Chelsea’s history. After coming close on so many occasions, they finally won the Champions League with a dramatic win over Bayern Munich in the final at the Allianz Arena.
Much has changed at Stamford Bridge since they won Europe’s top club competition. They haven’t mounted a serious challenge in the tournament since, coming closest with a semi-final defeat to Atletico Madrid in the 2013/14 season.
The managerial merry-go-round has continued. Roberto Di Matteo lasted just six months after that famous night in Munich before he was sacked, and replaced by Rafael Benitez. Since then, Jose Mourinho, Guus Hiddink, Antonio Conte, and now Maurizio Sarri have all sat in the hot seat at Stamford Bridge.
It has also been all change on the pitch. Only two players who started in the Champions League final six years ago are still at Chelsea, and the rest of the squad have all left Chelsea, with many of them scattered across Europe and the world. The Blues have continued to spend big in an attempt to sign the best players in the world.
Here’s what has happened to those players who played in the Champions League final for Chelsea in the six years since.
Petr Cech
Cech was the hero for Chelsea on that night in Munich. He saved Arjen Robben’s penalty in extra time, before saving from Ivica Olic and Bastian Schweinsteiger in the shootout. He remained at Stamford Bridge for another three seasons and was part of their title-winning team in the 2014/15 season. He was, however, the second choice to Thibaut Courtois in that season, so moved to Arsenal in summer 2015. It has been a turbulent few years for him personally, and for Arsenal, but he has started this season as Unai Emery’s number one.
Jose Bosingwa
Bosingwa took advantage of Branislav Ivanovic’s suspension for the final, and it, in fact, proved to be his final game in a Chelsea shirt. His contract ran out at the end of the season, and he moved across London to QPR, who he was subsequently relegated with. He left Loftus Road by mutual consent a couple of months later and moved on to Turkey, where he spent two spells with Trabzonspor. His time there came to an end in 2016, at which time he chose to retire from football.
Gary Cahill
The only player of this XI who has been at Chelsea ever since they won the Champions League. Cahill came into the Chelsea team for the game because of John Terry’s suspension, despite having not played since picking up a hamstring injury in the semi-final against Barcelona. Cahill has captained the Blues since Terry left the club, and has been a massive part in their success since 2012, which has included two Premier League titles and the Europa League in 2013.
David Luiz
Luiz has almost gained cult hero status at Stamford Bridge due to his personality on and off the pitch. His participation in the final was also in doubt due to a hamstring injury, as he had been missing ever since the FA Cup semi-final win over Tottenham. He, like Cahill, returned for the final though and put in an excellent performance, as well as scoring his penalty in the shootout. He stayed at Chelsea until 2014, when he made a move to PSG for a world record fee for a defender. He returned to Chelsea in 2016 though and was key as Chelsea swapped to a back three under Antonio Conte and won the title. Despite falling out with his former manager last season, he is back in favour under Maurizio Sarri now.
Ashley Cole
Cole was one of the old-guard in Chelsea’s victorious Champions League campaign and was one of the players who scored during the penalty shootout. He remained at Chelsea for another two years, but after falling behind Cesar Azpilicueta in the pecking order, moved to Roma in 2014. Sadly, this wasn’t a successful spell for the Englishman, and after making just 11 Serie A appearances, moved to LA Galaxy. He is currently captain of his side, who are second in the Western Conference.
John Obi Mikel
Many people forget the success that Mikel had at Stamford Bridge because of the quality of the players around him. Both Ramires and Raul Meireles missed out on the final due to suspension, meaning Mikel got the chance. He was excellent on the night, with the Champions League one of eight major honours he won at Chelsea. He eventually left the Blues in January 2017 to move to Chinese Super League side Tianjin TEDA, who he has been with ever since.
Frank Lampard
Possibly the greatest player in Chelsea’s long history, and the man who captained them against Bayern Munich. He scored a penalty on the night and lifted the trophy alongside John Terry. He became Chelsea’s all-time record scorer in the following season but left in 2014 to join New York City FC. He did, however, return to the Premier League on loan with Manchester City, with whom he famously scored against Chelsea. After two seasons in the MLS, Lampard retired and took up his first job in management with Derby County this summer.
Salomon Kalou
Kalou made a name for himself in his six-year spell with Chelsea, but appearances were limited in the 2011/12 season, and despite starting in the Champions League final, he left London at the end of the season. He moved to Lille in France, where he scored an impressive 30 goals in his two seasons. This was enough to attract the attention of Hertha Berlin, where he remains now, having scored 43 goals in 130 games in all competitions during his first four seasons in the Bundesliga.
Juan Mata
Mata was brilliant in his first two seasons with Chelsea, winning their Player of the Year award on both occasions. He was key in their run to the Champions League final but missed his spot kick in the shootout. He left Chelsea in January 2014 after falling out of favour under Jose Mourinho and joined Manchester United in a deal worth £37 million. Ironically, he is now managed by Mourinho once again at Old Trafford, and yet again, he isn’t a first choice selection under the Portuguese manager.
Ryan Bertrand
Bertrand was the shock selection for the Champions League final. In being selected, he became the first player to make his Champions League debut in the final. He started in an unfamiliar position on the left-wing, as Roberto Di Matteo looked to limit the threat of Arjen Robben. Despite some good performances, he never really established himself at Stamford Bridge, and after a loan spell with Aston Villa, moved to Southampton on a permanent deal. He has been excellent during his time with the Saints and is now one of the league’s top fullbacks.
Didier Drogba
Drogba will always be remembered for his contribution to Chelsea’s Champions League victory. He scored crucial goals against Napoli and Barcelona on the way to the final and then scored a brilliant header in the final to take the game to extra time. He also scored the winning penalty in the shootout. That was the final kick of a ball in his first spell at Chelsea, and he left to join Shanghai Shenhua. He was only there for six months, however, and joined Galatasaray in January 2013. After a successful 18 months in Turkey, he returned to Chelsea under Jose Mourinho and was part of their 2014/15 title-winning team. His career since then has been in America, firstly with Montreal Impact, and now as player-owner of Phoenix Rising.
