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For a club like Chelsea, performing well at the highest level is of paramount importance. The players must be able to give 100% performance every time they are on the pitch regardless of their age.
Former manager Antonio Conte famously stated that he was not averse to playing young players as long as they proved themselves to be good enough.
The same is true for older players. Club's don't mind using these players as long as they continue to produce the goods for them. A good example of that at Chelsea is Brazilian defender Thiago Silva who, even at 37, still has a starting berth secured at the club.
Chelsea are one of the most successful English clubs
Chelsea have tasted a great amount of success in the 21st century, winning every trophy they have competed in. Much of this success has been brought by the club's older, more experienced players. The likes of Didier Drogba and John Terry are prime examples of this.
On that note, here is a list of the five oldest goalscorers in Chelsea history.
#5 Mal Donaghy (36 years, 5 months and 14 days)
Before the Blues came into money, the club was in the care of the Brits. Manager Ian Porterfield signed 35-year-old left-back Mal Donaghy from Manchester United in 1992 for a transfer fee of £100,000.
Donaghy helped the club finish 11th in his debut season at Stamford Bridge in the first-ever Premier League season. He stayed on for one more season, helping the club reach the FA Cup final in 1993-94 where they lost to his former club Manchester United. He scored his last professional goal for the club in a 4-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur in February 1994.
Donaghy retired from football immediately after he left Stamford Bridge. The Northern Irishman had appeared in two World Cups for his country by the time he retired. He went into coaching after his playing career ended.
#4 Gianfranco Zola (36 years, 9 months and 16 days)
Before the likes of Eden Hazard started to dazzle fans at Stamford Bridge, a certain Gianfranco Zola had done that over a decade earlier. The Italian joined Chelsea from Napoli, where he had understudied Diego Maradona.
Zola joined the club aged 30 in 1996 and went on to establish himself as one of the club's greatest ever. He scored his final goal for the club on April 21, 2003 in a 4-1 win over Everton. Zola was so good that he was named FWA Player of the Season in his debut season despite playing only about half of it.
Zola left the club just before Roman Abramovich bought it. His contract at the club had expired and he moved to Cagliari. He returned to the club and served as assistant manager under Maurizio Sarri in 2018-19.
#3 Pop Robson (36 years, 11 months and 16 days)
Bryan "Pop" Robson was a successful English striker of the 20th century. He featured for Newcastle United, West Ham United, Sunderland and Carlisle before joining Chelsea in July 1982 aged 36.
Robson was in the twilight of his career when he signed for Chelsea and he only managed 17 appearances for the club, scoring five goals. The striker scored his last goal for the club on his last appearance, a 5-2 defeat at the hands of Charlton Athletic on March 5, 1983.
Robson moved back to Carlisle United on loan, after which he joined Sunderland and Gateshead before his retirement in 1986. He turned to coaching at the end of his professional playing career.
#2 Didier Drogba (37 years, 1 month and 18 days)
Regarded as the King of Stamford Bridge, Didier Drogba is one of the best late bloomers the world has ever seen in football. The Ivorian striker joined Chelsea from Olympique Marseille in 2004 before earning legendary status in the Premier League.
Drogba had two spells as a Chelsea player. In his first spell, he scored the winning penalty on his last appearance for the club to win them the 2012 UEFA Champions League. He returned in the 2014-15 season and helped the side win the Premier League that season. His last goal for the club came in a 3-1 win over Leicester City on April 29, 2015.
Drogba played for Montreal Impact and Arizona United in North America before finally retiring in 2018. The striker is one of the most prolific in the club's history.
#1 Thiago Silva (37 years, 4 months and 1 day)
When Frank Lampard sanctioned a move for Thiago Silva in 2020, eyebrows were raised over his age. The Brazilian has done exceptionally well to shoot down any such worries as a Chelsea player.
Silva scored his most recent Chelsea goal in their 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on January 23, 2022 in the Premier League. The 37-year-old defender only recently extended his contract at the club by one more year and will play till he's 38 years old.
Silva has made 65 appearances for Chelsea since joining the club. He has also found the back of the net five times in this period.
