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Paulo Ferreira retired from professional football last month, bringing down the curtain on a nine year career at Stamford Bridge that encompassed the most successful period in the club’s history.
Despite being unspectacular, his dedication to his job and longevity made him a favourite amongst Chelsea fans, with “Paulo Ferreira” echoing around Stamford Bridge whenever he warmed up or made it onto the pitch.
Although not a star of the team, he was a model professional who did not make a fuss when he was not selected but could be relied upon to perform consistently when called upon.
His trophy cabinet is heaving with 20 trophies across his career, including two Champions League winners medals and titles in England and Portugal.
Paulo’s Trophies
- Premier League (3): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10
- FA Cup (4): 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12
- FA Community Shield (2): 2005, 2009
- Football League Cup (2): 2004–05, 2006–07
- UEFA Champions League (1): 2011–12
- UEFA Europa League (1): 2012–13
The Early Years
Arriving with Jose Mourinho from Porto, Ferreira was a regular member of the starting XI, making more than 30 appearances across all competitions in each of his first three years at the club.
His first season was ended prematurely due to injury but he came back strong at the start of the 2005/2006 season, scoring his first goal in the FA Cup against Colchester.
The 2006-2007 season was not as successful, with Chelsea losing their grip on the league and Ferreira losing form which led to Khalid Boulahrouz, Geremi and Lassana Diarra all playing in the position at some point during the season.
Into The Background
This demotion continued for Ferreira in the 2007/2008 season onwards with Michael Essien and Juliano Belletti ahead of him in the pecking order.
This season he appeared in around half of Chelsea’s games, sometimes as a substitute, but he did a good job when called upon which saw him given a five year contract in February that would ensure he spent the rest of his career at the Bridge.
The following two seasons saw him called upon sparingly as a substitute or back up, making 20 or fewer appearances in each of the next two seasons.
Injuries See him Back In The Fold
In the final season under Carlo Ancelotti, injuries to key players saw him back in the squad more regularly, making more than 20 Premier League appearances in a season that saw him break the 200 game barrier in April of 2011.
However, his time as first choice was well behind him and this season would be the last time he would feature regularly.
Return To The Background
The arrival of a new manager saw Ferreira return to the background and in his last two years at the club he made just 16 appearances.
However, Ferreira never complained and his contribution was notable in the Champions League Quarter Final against Benfica in our victorious campaign where he produced another steady performance as Chelsea won the tie 1-0.
He picked up an FA Cup and Champions League winners medal that season, having featured in parts of each competition.
His final season saw him feature just seven times, the last one as a late substitute in the final game of the season which was emotional for Paulo and the fans as his name rang out across Stamford Bridge for the last time.
A fan favourite due to his professionalism, his presence around the Bridge will be missed.
