Despite a couple of ill-fated managerial stints at Stamford Bridge, Frank Lampard retains his position as a true Chelsea legend. He is the club’s record goalscorer, having netted a total of 211 goals in the 648 games he played for the Blues from 2001 to 2014. Lamps is one of only two men to have achieved the double century of goals for Chelsea, along with Bobby Tambling (who scored 202 goals in 370 games between 1959 and 1970).
In this article, we’re not going to simply run through the list of Chelsea’s all-time top scorers (which includes legends of old Kerry Dixon, Peter Osgood and Jimmy Greaves, among others). Instead, we’re going to look back at the sharpest shooters from modern times, which we’ll define, roughly speaking, as the Premier League era plus a couple of years. We’ll then have a brief look at the current crop of players and assess their chances of getting anywhere near Lampard’s impressive record.
Didier Drogba – 164 goals in 381 games
The player of the modern era who got closest to Lampard’s record (and to breaking the 200-goal mark) was Didier Drogba, whose scoring rate of 0.43 goals per game was significantly better than Lampard’s (0.33). Of course, Lampard scored his goals from midfield on the whole, though there’s a good chance that if Drogba had stayed at Chelsea from 2012 to 2014 (instead of playing the Chinese Super League and then the Turkish Super Lig), he might have had a chance of challenging the record. He returned to Stamford Bridge for the 2014/15 season and added seven goals to his tally in 40 games that season. But by then, his best days were behind him.
Eden Hazard – 110 goals in 352 games
A highly talented player who could skip past defenders and had a fine eye for goal, Eden Hazard had a similar scoring rate to Lampard at Chelsea. He was certainly one of the best players to pull on a Chelsea shirt in the 2010s, and the Belgian earned himself a big move to Real Madrid. Unfortunately, for the Belgian, things didn’t go particularly well in Spain. Due to a combination of fitness struggles, injuries and a lack of form, he made only 76 appearances for the Madrid giants over the course of four seasons, scoring just seven goals in the process.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – 87 goals in 177 games
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink first made a big impact when playing for Leeds United, then, after a season with Atletico Madrid, he joined Chelsea and became a big hit with the Blues faithful. He scored 23 goals in 35 Premier League games in 2000/01 and matched that tally exactly the following season. His goals dropped off a little in the following two campaigns, but his overall total of 87 goals at a rate of almost a goal every two games was certainly respectable. He probably should have made it to triple figures, but he could never quite rediscover the scoring touch he had in his first two seasons with the club.
Gianfranco Zola – 80 goals in 312 games
Over his seven seasons playing for Chelsea, Gianfranco Zola showed his versatility, skill and determination to win, and although he wasn’t as prolific as some on this list, his 80 goals represent a decent return. He offered lots more than just goals, of course, as the Italian created plenty for others too. He was never likely to get near 200, of course, but he made a vital contribution to the club in his time.
Eidur Gudjohnsen – 78 goals in 263 games
Eidur Gudjohnsen made his name at Bolton Wanderers before earning a move to Chelsea, for whom he netted 78 goals over his six seasons at the club. His best season for the Blues from a goalscoring perspective was 2001/02 when he scored 23 goals in 47 games in all competitions, but that was the only campaign in which he got past the 20-goal mark. After his time at Chelsea, Gudjohnsen spent four seasons at Barcelona before stints at Monaco, Tottenham, Stoke, Fulham and several other clubs.
Dennis Wise – 76 goals in 446 games
An old-school battling midfielder, Dennis Wise was pivotal in the rise of Wimbledon’s Crazy Gang in the 1980s, culminating in their famous FA Cup final victory over Liverpool in 1988. He moved to Chelsea in 1990 and spent 11 seasons at the club, helping them win two FA Cups, the League Cup, and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. He was never a true goalscorer, though he would often pop up in the right place at the right time to get on the scoresheet. He made it to double figures in his first two seasons at the club, but chipped in with occasional goals for the remainder of his time at Stamford Bridge.
John Terry – 67 goals in 717 games
We started with one modern-day club legend in Frank Lampard, and now we end with another: John Terry. Always a big danger from set pieces, his record of scoring a goal every 10ish games for the Blues proved a big asset over the years. He was obviously a highly accomplished defender too, and his leadership qualities were second to none in the Chelsea squad. Playing over 700 times obviously helps even a defender chalk up a decent goals tally.
Could Any of the Current Players Challenge Lampard’s Goalscoring Record?
One of the biggest obstacles to any of the current players getting anywhere near Lampard’s record is that squad rotation means many players simply won’t get enough games. Added to that, players tend not to stick around at a single side for quite so long, and given the Blues have a high turnover of managers, each coming in with their own ideas, the chances of a single player establishing himself over a decade or so at the club seem somewhat remote.
Having said that, assuming any of the following can stick it out at the Blues for a good number of seasons, these are the most likely candidates to challenge the record:
- Cole Palmer – The player with arguably the best chance of troubling Lampard’s record, Palmer is an outstanding talent who could prove crucial to both Chelsea and England, if he stays free of injuries. Currently boasts 45 goals from just 101 games
- Liam Delap – It’s probably too early to say whether Delap will develop into a great striker, but his 12 Premier League goals for a poor Ipswich side in 2024/25 certainly proved enough for Chelsea to invest in him. At 22 years old, he’s got time to develop, but if he’s to get close to Lampard’s record, he’ll need to make his mark sooner rather than later at the club
- João Pedro – If Pedro is to move up the Chelsea scoring charts, he needs to up his game somewhat. But there have been occasional signs that the 24-year-old could develop into a prolific goalscorer, and given that he scored 30 goals in 70 games for Brighton, he could prove his worth in the coming seasons
- Jamie Gittens – The 21-year-old is yet to really make his mark at Stamford Bridge, but time is on his side. If he gets a few goals under his belt, there’s a chance he could get into the scoring habit and move in the right direction. The chances of him reaching 100 goals, let alone 200, seem fairly remote at present, however