Chelsea is the pinnacle for many players during their careers. If you are at the Blues, then you will be well rewarded for your services to the club. However, many former Chelsea players choose to continue playing into their late thirties and even early forties. Here are five Blues veterans who fans will be shocked to realize are still in action.
5 former Chelsea players you won't believe are still playing
Thiago Silva - Fluminense
Thiago Silva already had an impressive CV before he joined Chelsea after spells at AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. He added to his silverware collection with the Blues, winning the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup.
Silva left Chelsea in 2024 to return to his former club, Fluminense. However, he returned to European football with a brief spell at FC Porto before going back to Fluminense. He is now 41 and still a key part of the Brazilian side.
David Luiz - Pafos
David Luiz is a very recognizable player with his frizzy hair, which resembles the Simpsons character Sideshow Bob. He had two spells at Chelsea, which sandwiched a two-year stint with PSG.
Luiz won the Premier League, the Champions League, two FA Cups, and two Europa Leagues with Chelsea. He then moved to London rivals Arsenal before returning to his homeland of Brazil with Flamengo.
He then played for another Brazilian side, Fortaleza, and now plays for the Cypriot side Pafos. He has represented Pafos in the Champions League and is now 39.
N’Golo Kante - Fenerbahçe
N'Golo Kante was already a Premier League winner when he arrived at Chelsea from Leicester City. With the Blues, he asserted himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. This is clearly a position that the club values highly, having also had Claude Makelele and now Moises Caicedo in the role.
With Chelsea, Kante won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Europa League, Super Cup, and Club World Cup. He surprisingly did not win the EFL Cup with Chelsea but got to the final twice. Kante also has four FA Cup runners-up medals with Chelsea.
He left Chelsea to join Al-Ittihad in 2023, where he won the Saudi Pro League. Kante then returned to European football with Fenerbahce. At 35, he is still a key player for the Super Lig side and still a France international. He was even part of the Les Bleus squad for the World Cup this summer, where they got to the semi-finals.
Juan Mata - Melbourne Victory
Juan Mata was a very popular player when he was at Chelsea. He helped the Blues win the Champions League, Europa League, and FA Cup. However, he fell out of favour when Jose Mourinho returned to the club for his second stint as manager.
Mata went on to join Manchester United, Galatasaray, and Vissel Kobe before heading to Australia. Mata was with Western Sydney Wanderers and now, at the age of 38, represents Melbourne Victory. The midfielder also has shares in Melbourne and is part of the ownership group of the MLS side San Diego FC.
Willian - Gremio
Willian spent seven successful years at Chelsea from 2013 to 2020. During this period, he won the Premier League twice, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Europa League.
The Brazilian then joined Arsenal but failed to live up to expectations. After just a season, he returned to his former club, Corinthians. The winger then had two stints back in west London, but with Fulham. His spells with the Cottagers sandwiched a short stint at Olympiacos. He is now 37 and back in Brazil playing for Gremio.
Asmir Begovic - Free agent
Asmir Begovic may not have a club currently, as he was released by Leicester City at the end of last season. However, the 39 is expected to keep on playing and has been linked with the likes of Sheffield United and Bolton Wanderers.
Begovic was with Portsmouth and Stoke City before he joined Chelsea in 2015. With the Blues, he was mainly used as a backup keeper, but still managed to get a Premier League winner's medal. It was no surprise that he did not get much game time at Chelsea, as Thibaut Courtois was the first-choice goalkeeper at the time.
Other notable mentions
Kurt Zouma is only 31, but has been off the radar since his time at West Ham United. The former Chelsea player left the Hammers for the Romanian side Cluj. He was then with the United Arab Emirates side Al Wasl and now plays in Indonesia with Palm City.
Juan Cuadrado is another free agent who has not retired. His spell at Chelsea was brief, but he went on to star for Juventus in Serie A. Italy was his level, and he also went on to represent Inter Milan and Atlanta. The 38-year-old was most recently with Pisa.
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