Chelsea Women: Farewell to CFCW’s greatest captain Magdalena Eriksson

Magdalena Eriksson’s contributions to the Chelsea Women go beyond words, and after six years in blue, the Swede is turning the page.

As an intelligent scholar once said, honor the past, live in the present, and build for the future. One cannot recall the past of the Chelsea Women’s team without Magdalena Eriksson nor ponder a future that was not impacting by No. 16’s presence. Her voice on and off the pitch accompanied by a selfless and professional mindset made her an example each new player sought to follow.

Whether you have gone in person to Kingsmeadow or to Stamford Bridge to witness Emma Hayes’ side, Eriksson has always been at the epicenter, directing her team during corner kicks and picking them up when the opponent finds the back of the net. Her intelligence and magical left foot make her the brilliant defender she is on the pitch, but her voice was the true difference-maker.

Without Eriksson making the move from Linköpings FC in the summer of 2017, there is no knowing where this club would be at this moment in time. The Swedish international was a role model, a professional, and a world-class defender all at the same time.

On Thursday afternoon in a move that many thought was only a matter of time, the club’s captain since 2019 announced she will be departing the club at the conclusion of the campaign. She along with her partner Pernille Harder made their decisions public as the west London outfit has to figure out where to go next with two vital pieces to their puzzle of success are saying farewell. The two seem to be on their way to Bayern Munich with the German club continuing to establish its as one of the powerhouses in European women’s football.

Still, with the news nearly confirmed weeks ago, it is not easy to swallow for any CFCW fan. The Swede was given the armband from Karen Carney ahead of the 2019/2020 campaign, and never looked back. From her debut against Bristol City in 2017 where she netted her first of 11 goals for the club to leading the Blues out onto the pitch in front of a packed house at Stamford Bridge. Four WSL titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and an FA Women’s Community Shield. The silverware speaks to the influence she had since day one. Her individual honors include being a member of a WSL Team of the Season, and finishing in the top-11 of the Ballon d’Or in 2021 among numerous others.

Coming in after the 2017 WSL Spring Series, the Swedish international started in 14 out of the 15 league contests she contributed to en route to the club’s second WSL trophy. The club had just two major trophies to its name before the Swede came arrived. 183 total appearances, and 102 WSL outings later, Eriksson led the charge of what would be a remarkable rise by a team that has now become known as one of the best women’s clubs in the world.

There is nobody that has embodied what it means to be a part of this club than Magdalena Eriksson during her six years in west London.

She has completed over 80 percent of her total passes in every WSL season since the 2018/2019 campaign not including this season. During the 2020/2021 league campaign, the Swede collected an astounding 142 progressive passes, four more than star midfielder Ji So-yun. Not only has she captained the club on massive occasions, but many of her displays on the pitch in the backline will be kept in the club’s history books forever.

Eriksson is Chelsea FC. From her selfless attitude to affect the community around her in a positive way to the leaderships traits she elicits on the pitch, the Blues’ No. 16 is everything a young female footballer should wish to become. Win, lose, or draw, Eriksson always went out of her way to acknowledge the fans that came out to support. Whatever kit she may don before she hangs it up, a piece of her will always be blue.

Similar to Drew Spence, and Ji in 2022, this is an incredibly tough goodbye. The farewell is so difficult because the times have been so fruitful. There will never in the history of the Chelsea Women be another captain like No. 16. Her wisdom and constant drive to raise the standards will live on through the generations to come at the club. Playing a phenomenal center back while leading by example through and through. That is Magdalena Eriksson, and that is why she is a legend in west London.

Every Chelsea fan around the world and the community here at the PoL would like to thank Magdalena Eriksson for her service in helping to take the Chelsea Women’s team to new heights throughout her six memorable years in west London. We wish Madga nothing but the best going forward.