First springing to life in Fulham in 1905, Chelsea took a little while to find their stride. It wasn’t until the 1954/55 season that the club’s owners first enjoyed perching a trophy aboard a shelf in the previously barren trophy cabinet. However, that initial league title signalled the beginning of a steady trickle of honours for the Blues. Chelsea have picked up at least one major domestic or continental trophy in every decade since the 1950s.
Then came 2003 and the arrival of a certain Russian oligarch, whose millions turned that trophy trickle into a flood. As of 2024, Chelsea have collected 34 trophies, including five Premier League titles, 2 Champions Leagues, and a FIFA Club World Cup, to take their place as one of the undisputed giants of the English game.
Of course, to compile such a record of success, the Stamford Bridge side required the assistance of a superstar player or two, but who are the greatest to don the famous blue shirt? All fans will have their opinions, and it’s tough to whittle down such an impressive list of talent. Nevertheless, the following five take some beating in terms of their consistency, dedication to the cause, and sheer talent.
5. Eden Hazard: 2012 to 2019
- Appearances – 352
- Goals – 110
Others may have played more times for the club or scored more goals, but for raw ability, this Belgian magician is impossible to leave off our list. Joining Chelsea from Lille in 2012, Hazard’s mesmerising footwork, lightning pace over short distances, and low centre of gravity quickly proved to be the stuff of nightmares for Premier League defenders.
Picking up six trophies during his time at Stamford Bridge, including two Premier League titles and a brace of Europa Leagues, Hazard was nigh on impossible to stop when on song – West Ham United certainly had no answers to this sublime solo effort during the 2018/19 campaign.
4. Peter Osgood: 1964 to 1974 and 1978 to 1979
- Appearances – 380
- Goals – 150
With Chelsea’s golden period occurring in the 21st century, it was always likely this list would display a bias towards more recent times. Sure enough, four of our five stars lined up in blue during the Premier League era. The odd man out being this legendary forward of the 1960s and 70s.
Joining Chelsea in 1964, having previously torn up a contract offer from Arsenal, the 6ft 1in 17-year-old quickly tore through the reserve competition to earn a first-team debut in December 1964. Combining physical presence with elegance on the ball, Osgood wrote his name into Chelsea folklore over the following 10 years.
Scoring in every round en route to the FA Cup success of 1970, Osgood’s playboy lifestyle only endeared him further to the fans. Passing away due to a heart attack at someone else’s funeral in 2006, he now has a statue outside Stamford Bridge, whilst his ashes are buried beneath the penalty spot at the Shed End.
3. Gianfranco Zola: 1996 to 2003
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- Appearances – 312
- Goals – 80
Making his name with Napoli and Parma in Serie A, much was expected of Gianfranco Zola upon his switch to Stamford Bridge in 1996. It’s fair to say he delivered. Ruud Gullit’s first signing for the club, the diminutive Italian proved an overnight success, with his vision, creativity and entrancing skills a joy to behold for the Chelsea faithful – and grudgingly admired by fans of all other clubs.
A nickname of “Magic Box” did scant justice to his level of talent when at his peak, with Zola’s array of stupendous set-pieces, defence-splitting passes, and ingenious finishes helping the club to six trophies during the pre-Abramovich era.
2. Frank Lampard: 2001 to 2014
- Appearances – 648
- Goals – 211
Having come through the ranks at West Ham, where his father Frank Lampard Snr happened to be the assistant coach, sections of the Hammers crowd accused the club of nepotism. The one flaw in that argument was the fact that Lampard was an exceptional football player – so good, in fact, that he would become one of the greatest midfielders to grace the Premier League, earn over 100 caps for his country, and make number 2 on our list of the greatest Chelsea players of all time.
Lampard may have lacked the innate brilliance of a Zola or a Hazard, but he made up for that with a tireless work ethic, technical excellence, and an unparalleled ability to time his runs from midfield. And then, of course, there were the goals – all 211 of them, including a Premier League high of 41 from outside the area.
Hitting 10 or more league goals in 10 consecutive seasons between 2003/04 and 2012/13, Lampard is the top scorer in Chelsea history and the highest-scoring Premier League midfielder of all time. No surprise that those numbers contributed to considerable success, with Lampard picking up 13 trophies in his 13 years at the Bridge, including three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and a Champions League.
1. John Terry: 1998 to 2017
- Appearances – 717
- Goals – 67
Just pipping Lampard to our top spot is the man who embodied the spirit, commitment, and defensive solidity of the Chelsea success story. Like Lampard, John Terry started out at West Ham before moving across London as a 14-year-old midfielder. At that stage, few would have predicted the Barking native would develop to become one of the greatest defenders of the Premier League era and the most successful captain in club history.
Fast forward 19 years, and Terry finally departed for Aston Villa, having raised 16 trophies aloft for his beloved Blues, including five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, 3 League Cups, the Europa League, and the Champions League in 2011/12. Possessing a never-say-die attitude, Terry combined a will to win any ball within his vicinity, with an exceptional reading of the game and a considerable goal threat.
With an impressive 67 goals in 717 appearances, he is the club’s all-time top-scoring defender. If Peter Osgood’s statue is to find itself with company in the coming years, our money would be on an iron-clad version of Chelsea’s captain fantastic joining him.