Players from the African continent have made a significant impact in the annals of Chelsea’s history. These six players – representing Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana – lead the way for the Blues.
Three players from Africa – Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Mikel John Obi – played a major part in Chelsea’s famous victory in the 2012 Champions League final against Bayern Munich. Michael Essien scored a goal that is seared into Arsenal’s collective memory as well as Chelsea’s. Celestine Babayaro was the trailblazer from Nigeria, and Victor Moses is his worthy heir.
These players top the list of Chelsea’s all-time best, having created memorable moments amongst stand-out careers at Stamford Bridge.
Michael Essien
Chelsea appearances (goals): 256 (25)
Chelsea signed Michael Essien from French side Lyon for £24.4 million in the summer of 2005. At the time he was the most expensive player in African history. He came to the club during Jose Mourinho’s second season in charge at Stamford Bridge. Essien was a box-to-box midfielder, and quickly became a firm favourite with the Chelsea faithful.
The Ghana international was the first African player to be voted player of the year by the supporters, in May 2007. Like Drogba before, Jose Mourinho held Essien in high regard.
Injury blighted his Chelsea career to a degree. But it did not prevent him from collecting seven major trophies during his time in a blue shirt.
In the twilight of his Chelsea career in 2012, Essien once again teamed up with Mourinho at Real Madrid, for a season-long loan. In an interview following the announcement Essien said “I was in my hotel room yesterday, and I had a call from my daddy, and he said he’d love to have me here (Madrid)”. He went on “I call him that (Daddy) because I see him as like a father.”
Essien went on to play in Italy, Greece and is currently plying his trade with Indonesian club Persib Bandung.
Victor Moses
Chelsea appearances (goals): 78 (14)
Victor Moses made a triumphant return to Chelsea Football Club last season. Having spent several seasons out on loan, the winger reformed under Antonio Conte, slotting into the Italian’s 3-4-3 system as a wing-back. It was a role that suited both him and the team very well.
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Following the now infamous 3-0 defeat against Arsenal, Conte introduced a playing system that brought three central defenders along with two wing-backs. In modern day football a wing-back is an attacking full-back, with the emphasis very much on the offensive side of the game.
With Moses playing on the right, the role on the left fell to Marcos Alonso. Chelsea went from strength to strength in a season that culminated in them picking up the Premier League title for the second time in three seasons.
Moses came to Chelsea in August 2012 from Wigan Athletic. Andre Villas-Boas gave him his debut, and he went on to score 10 times in 43 appearances. For Moses though, it was not meant to be. Jose Mourinho’s sealed his fate. He subsequently went out on loan to Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham United in successive seasons.
Despite a fruitful Premier League campaign following his re-emergence last term as a wing-back, the season ended in disappointment. He gained notoriety by becoming the 5th player to be sent-off in an FA Cup final after receiving a second yellow card. So far in his protracted Chelsea career he has made 78 appearances and scored 14 goals.
Celestine Babayaro
Chelsea appearances (goals): 174 (8)
Chelsea’s first venture into the African market came in 1997 when Ruud Gullit bought the Nigerian teenager Celestine Babayaro to the club. At 18 years old he was already a winner, having been part of a Nigerian side that beat Argentina to pick up a gold medal at the 1996 Olympic games.
Babayaro joined the Blues from Belgian side Anderlecht for £2.25 million. The young left-back suffered a disappointing start to his career at Stamford Bridge. Having just established himself in the starting XI, a serious foot injury after eight games sidelined him for the remainder of the campaign.
Following a slow rehabilitation, the next two seasons saw Baba, as he was affectionately nicknamed, make a real impact for the Blues. He scored his first goal in a blue shirt against Newcastle United, and he introduced the acrobatic back flip that became his signature celebration.
Baba’s time at the club came under the stewardship of Gullit and Gianluca Vialli, a period that started the most successful era in Chelsea FC’s history. He was a member of of the squad that made its debut in the Champions League in 1999.
Flamboyant and likeable, Celestine Babayaro was Chelsea all over. The arrival of Roman Abramovich’s money and Wayne Bridge sadly signalled the demise of his Chelsea career. He left to join Newcastle United at the beginning of 2005 for a fee in the region of £1 million. Unfortunately, injury blighted the Nigerian’s time there and at subsequent clubs.
He retired from football in 2010 and declared bankruptcy the following year, an ignominious end to a once promising career.
Didier Drogba
Chelsea appearances (goals): 381 (164)
Didier Drogba arrived at Stamford Bridge just prior to the start of the 2004-05 season. He signed from Marseille for £24 million, and was one of the first players to arrive following Jose Mourinho’s appointment as manager.
Drogba’s first season at Chelsea was, at best, difficult. He frustrated supporters and irritated the media and opposition as he struggled to come to terms with Premier League football. His style of play was littered with controversies that involved diving, cheating and play-acting.
For Mourinho, though, Drogba was the perfect striker. The two of them were a match made in heaven. Drogba’s passion, commitment and application matched the Special One’s winning mentality. Their first two seasons at Stamford Bridge delivered two Premier League titles.
Despite Mourinho’s subsequent departure, Didier Drogba went from strength to strength, and he took Chelsea with him. His eight years with the Blues saw him collect a plethora of plaudits and a train of trophies, which would fill a page alone.
Drogba’s ultimate achievement for the Blues came on May 19, 2012, date etched into the mind of Chelsea fans and supporters worldwide. In the Allianz Arena, home of German champions Bayern Munich, Chelsea were trailing 1-0 in the Champions League final. With just two minutes of the game remaining Juan Mata aimed a corner at the near post, and an Ivorian possessed met it at full strength. Manuel Neuer in the Bayern goal could only parry the ball into the net.
The game went to extra-time and then to penalties. As Drogba stroked the final penalty past the German goalkeeper, he wrote himself into Chelsea’s history book for ever more. Just three days after that victory, Chelsea released a statement saying the Ivorian would leave the club when his contract expired at the end of June.
Drogba went on to play in China and Turkey before joining up with Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge for a one season swan-song in 2014/15. It was a chance to say goodbye to his adoring fans, and in true Mourinho and Drogba style, resulted in a League Cup final victory over Tottenham and the ubiquitous Premier League title.
Salomon Kalou
Chelsea appearances / goals: 254 (60)
Ivorian Salomon Kalou signed from Dutch club Feyenoord in 2006 for a fee in the region of £9 million. He arrived at Cobham in awe of the players he knew he would meet. He carried a camera, and spoke of the experience of meeting his compatriot Didier Drogba: “This was the dream moment of my life and I did not want to wake up and find that it was not real.”
Chelsea managers did not always favour Kalou. With the revolving door approach to management adopted by the club, he often found himself fighting for a first team place. His attitude was never in doubt, though. He never sulked, nor threw tantrums. He was a solid team player, who just did his job.
After Andre Villas-Boas froze him out for in the 2011-2012 campaign, Kalou worked his way back into the team following the Portuguese’s dismissal. With Roberto di Matteo leading the club as interim manager, Kalou’s appearances picked up. He started both the FA Cup Final and the Champions League Final in May 2012, collecting winners medals in both.
Like Drogba, Salomon Kalou left the football club when his contract expired in July 2012. He joined Lille in France on a free transfer. He subsequently moved to Hertha Berlin, where he still plays.
Mikel John Obi
Chelsea appearances (goals): 372 (6)
The Nigerian took a protracted route to Stamford Bridge, to say the least. He was playing in the Norwegian League for Lyn, when he signed a contract with Manchester United. Arguments ensued over the legality of the move, which was signed in the absence of his agents.
The following year saw claims and counterclaims for the midfielder between Chelsea, United, Lyn and the agents representing Mikel. It was a mess. Chelsea reached an agreement with all parties in June 2006. Money changed hands and the move to Stamford Bridge was finally sanctioned.
Mikel was never a player to set pulses racing, but he enabled the team around him the freedom to attack. His longevity at the club under a succession of managers, proved his immense value to the club.
Like Kalou and Drogba, Mikel is a Champions League winner. He played all 120 minutes of that famous final in Munich in a ‘backs to the wall’ performance. He renewed his contract with club in late 2012 for another 5 years
During the later stages of that contract, Mikel was very much a single-purpose substitute. You could be sure that when came onto the pitch, it was time for Chelsea to ‘park that bus’.
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In the January transfer window of 2017, Mikel left to join Chinese Super League outfit Tianjin TEDA after the club announced they would not be renewing his contract in the summer.