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Since the Premier League began in 1992, Chelsea Football Club has tasted immense domestic success. Some of the world's greatest players have worn the club's famous blue strip over the years and have enjoyed varying degrees of success at Stamford Bridge.
Since Roman Abramovich's arrival at Chelsea in 2003, the fortunes of the club have been completely transformed. His stewardship at the club and its initial success was based on a solid core of players who built the foundations for the club's success in the 21st century.
Without further ado, let's have a look at five of the best Chelsea players during this period.
#5 Petr Cech
The big shot-stopper from the Czech Republic proved to be one of the most shrewd investments of the Abramovich era, making an instant impact on a title-winning team in 2004-5 conceding an astonishing 15 goals in what is still a Premier League record. His commandeering presence in the box made him the old faithful through his 11 seasons, still holding the Premier League record for most clean sheets. The most heroic of the performances were reserved for the big nights, the most memorable of which was the 2012 Champions League run. Defying age and opposition ability, Cech stood like a Titan, leaving Robben and Messi floored with his reflexes and resilience.Well respected by the Stamford Bridge hierarchy, Cech is now a full-time director with the Stamford Bridge Club, and was almost solely responsible for the highly successful transfer of Eduoard Mendy from former Club Rennes.
#4 Didier Drogba
When Jose Mourinho arrived at Chelsea, Roman Abramovich famously said he had the resources to bring Ronaldinho to Chelsea. Jose instead asked for a relatively unknown Ivorian from Marsielle, Didier Drogba, who bought it for a record 24 Million pound move in 2004. Drogba scored over 104 goals for the club over two separate spells, solidifying himself arguably as the greatest African player to play in the Premier League.
Blessed with immense physicality and a powerful shot, "King Drogba" was a robust focal point for Chelsea, capable of scoring goals with his feet as much with his head. A big-game player who has often been labeled "Mr. Cup Final," Drogba has a goalscoring record of 10 goals in 10 finals winning 10 trophies, the most famous of which was that night in Munich, beating Bayern in their own backyard with a decisive spot kick that gave Chelsea their first ever European Cup.
#3 Eden Hazard
The diminutive Belgian Wizard makes the cut over another magical player in Gianfranco Zola. What separates the two legends would be Chelsea's immense attacking reliance on Hazard and the number of titles they won with him, the sole exception being the Champions League.
Scoring 85 goals and 54 assists in 245 appearances, stats do no justice to the grace and skill Hazard brought to the team as an attacker. An adept dribbler and lethal counterattacker, his attacking partnerships and fluency with Mata, Oscar and later Fabregas and Diego Costa brought out brilliant and poetic football.
He won PFA player's player of the year in 2019 adding to another PFA Player of the year in 2014-15 at the peak of his powers.
Many called for Hazard to end his career at Chelsea, however Real Madrid's upcoming call was too much to resist, in sadly what has been quite an unsuccessful transfer due to injuries and poor form. The Chelsea faithful would gladly welcome the mercurial talent back for one last run, much like Didier Drogba, to cement his status as one of the club's best ever performers.
#2 John Terry
Captain Leader Legend. Three words define the myth of John Terry in his 16 year career at Chelsea. A resolute and dependable defender at the back, willing to put body and at times life on the line to defend, Terry was at the heart of Chelsea's defensive solidarity, playing an active role in all but one of Chelsea's (5) Premier League title wins. A home grown star in what became a team full of expensively bought Superstars, Terry inherited the Captain's armband at the age of 23 becoming arguably the most iconic captain of modern English football.
His unfazed ability on the pitch was complimented by his dressing room personality, acting as the fearless leader on many occasions standing up for teammates and colleagues alike.
#1 Frank Lampard
Chelsea's all-time top scorer Frank Lampard remains English football's greatest ever goalscoring midfielder. An absolute general during his (12) year spell at Chelsea, Lampard, along with Terry, were the pillars of the football club's modern success. Epitomizing hard work and tireless fighting spirit, Lampard served as an example that the best players need not be the most technically gifted, but are hard trainers. Lampard's stories of staying back after training to practice sprint training go a long way to explaining his penchant for turning up in the box at the right time.
His legacy has an added layer in his spell as first team manager during a tumultuous period for the club. Lampard was responsible for bringing many academy stars such as Mason Mount, Reece James, Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori to the forefront. Chelsea's 'Golden Boy' took up the job of reassuring supporters who begged for a homegrown touch with great inten
