The 10 greatest Chelsea players of all time

Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs in the world. Founded in 1905, their rich history of over one hundred years truly began to take shape in the 21st century. However, the foundations of the club were already in place in the 20th century.

Based in London, Chelsea has attracted some incredible players throughout the club's history. As a rich club in the capital of England, believed to be the best footballing country in the world, it is understandable that players from all over the globe would want to play for Chelsea.

Chelsea has shifted the way in which English football is viewed. They have attracted a worldwide audience onto the club and boosted much of the revenue made in the Premier League. Known as frivolous spenders, it has paid dividends for the club. That said, it is crucial to pay attention to the impact of certain individuals in making Chelsea a great football club.

Having won a plethora of domestic and continental trophies, it is easy to attribute it as team success, however, teamwork only works with great individuals.

This article will pay attention to the individual performers who have made Chelsea tick. Therefore, let's take a look at the 10 greatest Chelsea players of all time.

Criteria for Selection

Before we kick off the list, let us first discuss how each player will be selected and ranked. This ranking system will combine three main attributes, which we will run through now.

The most important factor which will be considered is the players' popularity among the fanbase. This will be given greater importance than the other factors and since this is a Chelsea fan website, the players must be popular among the fanbase to even be considered, let alone ranked highly.

Secondly, we will look at the legacy which the player left behind as the second most important factor. "Legacy" can be broken down into main compartments, which will be career achievements and the length of time the player dedicated to Chelsea - Both of those compartments will be looked at with equal importance.

Thirdly, the rankings will place some emphasis on individual skills. This is considered to give everybody a fair playing field and it allows players who may have played during less successful periods to still be recognised.

Top 10 Greatest Chelsea Players

1. John Terry

The term "captain, leader, legend" is thrown around too often in the modern era. However, the player it's most easily applied to is Chelsea legend John Terry. He is he best centre back in Premier League history and without a doubt, the best player in Chelsea history.

John Terry personifies everything Chelsea is about. A player who dedicated most of his career to Chelsea. He ultimately retired at Aston Villa after one season but without a shadow of a doubt, he is mostly recognised for his incredible career with Chelsea.

John Terry spent 19 years with Chelsea, after coming through the youth academy. Making his competitive debut in 1998, Terry left the club in 2017, meaning he played through the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. Terry made an incredible 717 appearances, a record which is only beaten by two Chelsea players.

Notable moments include him leading Chelsea to their first league title in over 50 years and kickstarting Chelsea's most dominant period of the club's history, under Terry's captaincy. Before that, though, Terry had a pretty memorable Champions League moment, where he scored the winner for Chelsea, to knock Barcelona out in 2005.

2. Frank Lampard

It is impossible and almost blasphemous to pit Frank Lampard against John Terry. This is because the two achieved most of their success together, with Lampard providing excellent attacking momentum to the Chelsea midfield and John Terry acting as the anchor in defence. That, alongside the fact that they remain good friends and two of the biggest club legends in history.

The decisive reason why Frank Lampard makes the list at second instead of first is the second most important factor outlined at the start of this article. Ultimately, Terry achieved more at Chelsea and left behind a longer tenure than Lampard. Not by much but that's just the case.

Still, Lampard remains a pivotal member of Chelsea's history. Super Franky Lampard lived and breathed the club, becoming a popular figure among the fanbase. He returned as manager on two occasions to help Chelsea out during a time of need; say what you'd like about his time as manager but he must be applauded for stepping up to a big role.

Frank Lampard made 648 appearances for Chelsea and had some incredible moments. Remember when I said Terry led Chelsea to their first title in 50 years? Well, Lamps secured that, with an unforgettable double to secure the title against Bolton in 2005. He also scored in a Champions League final, the first Chelsea player to ever do that. That has to count for something.

3. Gianfranco Zola

Widely regarded by many as the great forward to ever play for Chelsea, Gianfranco Zola earned his way into the top three by a country mile. Despite never being the most prolific goal-scorer, the impact he had on the Chelsea attack is impossible to ignore. Without a doubt, he is the most creative and technically gifted attacker Chelsea has ever seen.

The Italy international played for Chelsea late in his career but as the only non-Italian club Zola ever played for, he arguably played his best football at Chelsea. He joined Stamford Bridge in 1996 and left in 2003, committing six excellent years of service to the Blues.

A short striker, Gianfranco Zola could oftentimes be found causing a nuisance for his opposing defenders. He had a low centre of gravity but he was surprisingly strong, meaning Chelsea had many avenues to attack with Zola in the team. Without a doubt, Chelsea could do with a player like Zola to this day.

Memorable moments for Zola include THAT free kick against London rivals Tottenham and making an absolute fool out of Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher. Having made 312 appearances for Chelsea, he isn't the longest-serving player by any means but his individual brilliance has to see him right up there in these rankings.

4. Didier Drogba

Didier Drogba is one of those players who brings a wave of nostalgia with him. The brute striker had a keen eye for scoring goals, especially against London rivals Arsenal. This was always bound to win him his praise among Chelsea supporters and is likely a key reason why he is a popular former player among the fanbase.

Didier Drogba actually played for Chelsea on two separate occasions, meaning he left behind two great legacies. After spending his best days at the club and breaking the 100-goal mark in the Premier League, he returned several years later to win the Premier League and League Cup double.

Without a doubt, the most memorable Didier Drogba memory which will live in the minds of Chelsea fans forever is the 2011-12 Champions League final, whereby Didier Drogba scored a bullet header to equalise the game late on and then converted from the penalty spot to win the game for Chelsea. For that night alone, Drogba will be immortalised in the Chelsea history books.

Drogba was everything anybody should want in a striker. He was strong, skilful and most importantly, had a rocket of a shot in his locker. He was often seen scoring goals from seemingly "nothing opportunities", a trait which many Chelsea strikers have lacked since Drogba left.

5. Peter Osgood

It takes a pretty remarkable player to be cast into a statue outside of Stamford Bridge, but nobody deserves it more than the King of Stamford Bridge, Peter Osgood. The Chelsea legend of the 1960s and 70s started and ended his career at Chelsea, with spells at other clubs in between.

He broke through the Chelsea academy, proving himself as one of the best young players to break through at Stamford Bridge. Osgood remains one of the best strikers to ever play for Chelsea and he is an example who should be followed to this day.

The most memorable moments of Peter Osgood are without a doubt a series of moments in the 1970 FA Cup. To this day, Osgood is the last player to score in every round of the FA Cup, winning it on the way. Considering it is the oldest cup competition in the world, for Peter Osgood to be etched into the history books forever is a true testament to his quality.

Osgood made a combined total of 380 appearances for Chelsea. He loved the club so much, that he even returned to Stamford Bridge to retire there in the 1978-79 season. This, among many other reasons including his world-class grace, is the reason why Osgood has a statue erected of him outside the Chelsea stadium.

6. Petr Cech

The first goalkeeper to make this list, it's obviously none other than Petr Cech. The Czech international overcame many obstacles in his career and despite playing for two Premier League clubs (we shan't mention the second), Cech established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Premier League history whilst at Chelsea.

Cech was one of Chelsea's smartest transfers in history, as he was picked up from Rennes as a youngster in 2004. Cech then spent over a decade developing his way into the Chelsea first team, until he was a non-negotiable starter. He stayed with Chelsea until 2015, so put in an incredible tenure.

Winning four league titles with Chelsea has to count for something, as Cech was one of the unsung heroes during the club's most successful periods. He was also a key figure in the 2012 Champions League win.

As eluded to, Cech experienced a setback towards the beginning of his career with Chelsea and while it took some time to return to his best, Cech eventually got there after a fractured skull which could have hindered his career. His most memorable moment in a Chelsea shirt was saving a penalty against Arjen Robben in the 2012 Champions League final, keeping the dream alive in extra time.

7. Ron Harris

Being the all-time Chelsea appearance record holder has to stand for something but for Ron Harris, this is only partly the reason he makes this list. He played for Chelsea during a transitional period and in many ways, could be attributed to the incredible uprising of the club.

Not many Chelsea players can say they were there for Chelsea in the Second Division and the First Division, but Rob Harris certainly can. After putting in an incredible 18 years of service, Ron Harris left behind a lasting legacy and he can be proud of helping Chelsea to build the foundations of the club.

His nickname, the "Chopper" should tell you everything about how the colossal defender went about his business. He stood for nothing in the Chelsea box and would often put himself on the line to prevent any goal being scored against Chelsea. He was a traditional defender and one who modern defenders could look back on and learn a thing or two from.

Harris eventually retired at Brentford, which is scary to think considering he remains the all-time appearance leader for Chelsea. Still, he had the freedom to move to Brentford in 1980, safe in the knowledge that his Chelsea legacy would be intact forever. He should be proud to see the club Chelsea has become since his playing days.

8. Eden Hazard

The sad downfall of Eden Hazard after he left Chelsea is well-documented. However, this is only a testament to the player he was at Chelsea. In fact, there was a point in time where he was in the debate of the best player in the world. If he wasn't playing during the same era as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, he probably would have been.

Eden Hazard announced himself as a Chelsea player by saying "I'm signing for the Champions League winner" and the rest, as they say, is history. Hazard joined Chelsea from Lille in 2012 and left in 2019. During those seven years, Hazard made himself a force to be reckoned with.

As mentioned, Hazard was in the genuine conversation of the best player in the world. The Belgian international primarily played as a winger but he also helped out in the midfield during times of need.

He had an incredible technical ability and he beat his opposing defender more often than not. He has an iconic dribbling style, whereby the ball seemed to stick to his feet like super glue. He was one of those players who you simply couldn't tackle in a telephone box.

Eden Hazard had two incredibly memorable moments with Chelsea, scoring THAT goal against Arsenal, in which he sent Francis Coquelin to the floor with his low centre of gravity and when he scored an incredible curled effort to prevent Tottenham from winning the league. If you couldn't tell, he loved a London derby.

9. Dennis Wise

Dennis Wise played for many clubs in England but none personified his incredible career more than Chelsea. He is one of the club's biggest legends, after committing eleven years of his stellar career to Stamford Bridge.

He wasn't the most technically gifted player in the world, nor did he have "natural talent". But he certainly made up for those with incredible hard work, which made him an immensely talented player. For that, Dennis Wise deserves nothing but respect as he spent a wicked amount of time dedicated to mastering the midfield craft and that he did.

An engine in the midfield, Wise took absolutely no nonsense. He was routinely found screaming at his teammates, forcing them into more organised positions. It was his leadership qualities matched with his hard work which made him an irreplaceable player for Chelsea.

Wise joined Chelsea as a youngster in 1990 and matured into a man at Chelsea. A former captain of Chelsea, he led Chelsea to glory and set them up for the success they would go on to achieve in the 21st century. He made 445 appearances for Chelsea, winning two FA Cup trophies.

10. Roy Bentley

Roy Bentley is one of the finest examples of "don't expect a different outcome with the same input". This is very much the way in which Bentley lived his life and ultimately made a name for himself in his football career.

In 1948, Bentley made the move to Chelsea from Newcastle United because it was believed that a move down to the South of England would aleviate the lung issues he had endured while living in the North of England, playing for Newcastle.

It took him a fair amount of time to adjust to his new life in a Chelsea jersey, but through changing the way he played his game, he changed the results for Chelsea. Ultimately, it was a tactical switch which was looked at with raised eyebrows at first, but the change benefited both the player AND Chelsea as a club.

Roy Bentley essentially played as deep-lying centre forward, which many would refer to as a "false nine" nowadays. This helped him to express his creative side and ultimately made him more productive as a whole.

Bentley spent eight years in Chelsea and after he left, remained in London with Fulham and Queens Park Rangers. Looking back at his career, though, it was certainly with Chelsea where he spent his best days.

Bentley made 367 appearances for Chelsea and he is their fifth all-time leading goalscorer. That definitely has to count for something.

Honorable Mentions

Chelsea has seen some incredible players pass through its ranks over the years. Therefore, narrowing down a "top 10 list" was difficult, since a few standout shouts had to be missed out. That said, they are still worthy of discussion, even despite missing out on this top 10 list.

Firstly, an honorable mention must go to Ashley Cole. The world-class full-back is one of, if not THE best Premier League left-back of all time. The English defender joined Chelsea from Arsenal, which is always going to win him brownie points from the Chelsea supporters. He was incredible, both defensively and offensively, so it's a shame that he had to miss out on this list.

Another honorable mention must go to Jimmy Greaves, who is unfortunate to miss out on this list. Despite not playing as many games for Chelsea, his goal-scoring record is certainly impressive. If he played more games for Chelsea and spent more of his career at Stamford Bridge, he had all the potential in the world to be the leading goal-scorer of all-time.

Speaking of goals, why did Bobby Tambling miss out on this list? Well, he was certainly unfortunate. That said, there were too many standout players who HAD to make the list, regardless of personal biases or emprical evidence. Mainly the top five list were definitive, with the rest open to interpretation. Either way, little room was left to justify Tambling.

Last but certainly not least, there was too much outfield quality to rightly represent the tremendous goalkeepers which Chelsea have had. Petr Cech made the list but unfortunately, Peter Bonetti did not. The incredible goalkeeper Bonetti was ahead of his time and even nicknamed "the cat" for his incredible reflex ability and eagerness pounce on every loose ball.

So, those are the four further players who I think deserve an honorable mention each, despite not making the top ten list. Of course, there are hundreds of great Chelsea players throughout history to pick from and there will always, understandably, be disagreements.

Conclusion

To conclude, this list was chosen with a wide consideration of all the things which have made Chelsea so great throughout history. While the key criteria for the rankings was outlined at the beginning of this article, overall, it comes down to how well the players align with the Chelsea vision throughout history.

All 10 players and the honorable mentions have greatly contributed to the growth of Chelsea into a super-club. Whether they were at the club in its developmental stages, transitional stages or successful stages, they have all built or added to the foundations which made the club one of the best in Europe and the world.

We encourage every Chelsea fan worldwide to commemorate and remember these exceptional Chelsea players. As time progresses, this list may change. Some players will fall out of this list but that's not to say that they have been forgotten about. Indeed, this is a top ten list, but hundreds of players throughout the archives have shaped Chelsea greatly.

Furthermore, we would love to hear your thoughts. Are there any players who you thought were wrongly snubbed from the top ten or perhaps you'd like to go a step further and name your shouts for numbers 10-20. Either way, we'd love to hear from you.

FAQs

Who is considered the greatest player for Chelsea? John Terry.

What criteria were used to rank these players? Popularity among the Chelsea fanbase, legacy and individual skills.

Are there any current players who could make this list in the future? Reece James and Cole Palmer.

How have these players impacted the success of Chelsea? Some players in the 1900s built the foundations, other players in the early 2000s kickstarted the success and those in the 2010s-present have helped Chelsea become the most successful team in London.

Who are some other notable players for Chelsea? Ashley Cole, Peter Bonetti, Bobby Tambling and Jimmy Greaves