These 3 Chelsea stars always showed up in cup finals

Frank Lampard

In Frank Lampard's inaugural season at Stamford Bridge, he steered the Blues to the FA Cup Final in 2005. In a thrilling showdown in Cardiff, Chelsea trailed Liverpool for much of the match until a crucial own goal by Steven Gerrard leveled the scores. Lampard outshone his England midfield counterpart in extra time, propelling the Londoners to a commanding position and securing a 3-2 victory.

In Frank Lampard's debut season at Chelsea, he helped the team reach the 2005 FA Cup Final. Despite trailing, Lampard's crucial play, including a key own goal by Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, led to a 3-2 victory in extra time. In the 2007 FA Cup Final against Manchester United, Lampard's quick thinking and precise pass set up Didier Drogba for the winning goal, securing Chelsea's historic victory at the new Wembley Stadium.

In the 2009 FA Cup final, Lampard celebrated his winning goal by emulating a famous celebration by his father, who scored in the 1980 FA Cup semifinal for West Ham, by running around a corner flag.

I just have to go back to 2012; Chelsea faced the daunting task of playing Bayern Munich on their home turf, compounded by the absence of four key players due to suspensions, including skipper John Terry. Stepping into the leadership role, Frank Lampard donned the captain's armband, a responsibility he had shouldered for the Blues on numerous occasions.

As anticipated, Chelsea found themselves under pressure for much of the match, with Bayern breaking the deadlock in the 83rd minute courtesy of Thomas Muller. However, the Blues mounted a spirited comeback, with Didier Drogba's spectacular header leveling the scoreline and forcing the game into extra time.

Despite the additional 30 minutes yielding no further goals, the fate of the final was sealed in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout. After Juan Mata's shot was saved, Lampard stepped up and calmly dispatched his spot-kick past Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, igniting Chelsea's hopes. Petr Cech's heroics with two brilliant saves ensured the Blues emerged victorious in the shootout, clinching an unforgettable triumph.