Ranking the greatest English players in Chelsea history ft Dennis Wise, Peter Osgood and Frank Lampard
When thinking of and discussing some of the greatest Chelsea players of all time, people will often select foreign superstars such as Eden Hazard and Gianfranco Zola. However, when you look through Chelsea's history, it is mainly English players who have carried them and proved to be pivotal figures during both their most successful and most difficult eras.
The main two Englishmen who people link with Chelsea are John Terry and Frank Lampard, who are club legends and led 'The Blues' to their most successful period in history, which resulted in them winning every major English trophy as well as achieving European glory by winning the UEFA Champions League. Despite Terry and Lampard being the main English legends people associate with Chelsea, there are other Englishmen who represented the club whose contributions get overlooked due to them not playing in eras as successful. Some of these players include Dennis Wise, Peter Osgood and Jimmy Greaves.
GIVEMESPORT has now ranked the 10 greatest English players in Chelsea history, while the likes of Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill in particular will be hoping to make their way onto this list in the future.
Ranking factors:
Fan reception of the player
Longevity and impact made at the club
Honours won
Overall quality of the player
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10 Greatest English Players in Chelsea History
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10 Joe Cole
Chelsea career span: 2003-2010
Joe Cole Chelsea
Joe Cole Chelsea
Known for his dazzling dribbling and incredible elegance on the ball, Joe Cole is up there with the greats such as Eden Hazard and Arjen Robben when it comes to the best wingers Chelsea have been privileged to have over the years.
Cole’s style of play, being so willing to constantly run at defenders, basically gave Chelsea a cheat code as they would often find themselves in difficult positions, but one pass to him would change the entire game. Cole’s importance in the side is shown when you look back at the honours he won while he was at the club where he guided them to victories in all the domestic English competitions.
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Joe Cole's Chelsea Statistics
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Related
15 Most Skilful Players in Premier League History [Ranked]
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9 Dennis Wise
Chelsea career span: 1990-2001
Dennis Wise
Dennis Wise
In the late 90s, Chelsea were undergoing big changes both on and off the pitch, and it resulted in a pretty turbulent time for the club. However, one man who was a key figure throughout his time at the club who also performed and stepped up during the tough times is Dennis Wise.
The small but combative midfielder is one of Chelsea’s greatest ever captains and one of their biggest fan favourites ever. Despite being technically very sound, it was his physicality and tenaciousness which made the fans love him. Wise took pride in wearing the blue jersey every time he stepped on the pitch and that showed in his performances.
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Dennis Wise's Chelsea Statistics
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8 Roy Bentley
Chelsea career span: 1948-1956
Roy Bentley
Roy Bentley
Chelsea have had many incredible strikers over the years who are household names and known worldwide, however, one man who does not get enough recognition is Roy Bentley, who played for the club in the 40s and 50s.
In 1955, Bentley put himself in the Chelsea history books forever when he captained the club to their first ever league title. The forward scored 21 goals during this season, but it was his leadership skills and ability to galvanise his team in key moments which is what made him so good during this season. For the historical influence he had at Chelsea, Bentley does not get enough credit or recognition.
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Roy Bentley's Chelsea Statistics
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7 Ashley Cole
Chelsea career span: 2006-2014
Ashley Cole looking on through the rain
Ashley Cole looking on through the rain
Ashley Cole is widely regarded as the greatest left back in Premier League history and rightfully so. Cole was well ahead of his time in the left back position as even though he was mainly praised for his defensive abilities, he was constantly up and down the left flank contributing heavily in both attack and defence.
Cole was consistent throughout his time at the club, but his 2012 Champions League campaign was utterly sensational and if it was not for him, Chelsea would likely not have won the trophy. His performance in the semi-final up against Lionel Messi and Dani Alves was pretty much flawless and that performance was topped in the final where he pulled off an incredible goal-line clearance and hit home a penalty, which were both huge factors in Chelsea achieving European glory.
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Ashley Cole's Chelsea Statistics
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Assists
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6 Jimmy Greaves
Chelsea career span: 1957-1961
Jimmy Greaves in a white shirt looking into the camera
Jimmy Greaves in a white shirt looking into the camera
Despite the greatness of Jimmy Greaves being mainly associated with Tottenham Hotspur, the England great started his career at Chelsea and had an incredible goal return during his time at the club. Greaves netted 131 times in 164 outings for ‘The Blues’, which gives him a world-class goal to game ratio.
Greaves was very young when he played for Chelsea, but from the get-go in his career, he had that natural goalscoring ability and composure which stuck with him throughout his playing days. The most impressive Chelsea-related record which Greaves holds is that on three separate occasions, he scored five goals. This has only been done on six occasions by four different players.
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Jimmy Greaves' Chelsea Statistics
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5 Ron Harris
Chelsea career span: 1962-1980
MixCollage-05-Sep-2024-12-09-PM-8007
Ron Harris sits second in the all-time appearance records for Chelsea and his longevity playing in such a physically demanding position is truly remarkable. Harris played for Chelsea for 18 years, making a remarkable 684 appearances in total.
The nickname which followed Harris throughout his career with Chelsea is ‘Chopper’ and there is a very good reason for that. The nickname was given to him due to his incredibly rough and physical tackling style and the fact he never held back in an aerial or ground duel. Despite his aggressive style, Harris was phenomenal at reading the game and this is the main reason why he was so good for so long as he wasn’t blessed with significant physical attributes such as pace and height, standing just 5’8.
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Ron Harris' Chelsea Statistics
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4 Peter Bonetti
Chelsea career span: 1959-1975, 1976-1979
Peter Bonetti
Peter Bonetti
When people discuss the greatest goalkeepers to have ever played for Chelsea, the name which is always brought up is Petr Cech. However, Peter Bonetti may be the best goalkeeper in the club’s history. The Englishman's loyalty to Chelsea was special, and he enjoyed two separate spells with the club, making a total of 615 appearances.
Bonetti was small for a goalkeeper, standing just 5’10 tall, but this did not have an impact on him. His excellent reflexes, which earned him the nickname of ‘The Cat,’ more than made up for his lack of size. Bonetti stepped up in the big moments for Chelsea and his best and most iconic performances for the club came in the biggest games, such as the 1970 FA Cup final, 1965 League Cup final, as well as the 1971 European Cup Winners’ Cup.
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Peter Bonetti's Chelsea Statistics
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3 Peter Osgood
Chelsea career span: 1964-1974, 1978-1979
Peter Osgood of Chelsea looks on
Peter Osgood of Chelsea looks on
So good he was dubbed the ‘King of Stamford Bridge,’ Peter Osgood is widely regarded as the greatest striker in Chelsea’s history, which is extremely impressive given the number of talented forwards the club has had over the years. Despite not having an as good goal to game ratio as someone like Jimmy Greaves, Osgood's connection and relationship with the fans is what makes him even more highly rated.
The dynamic forward had many great moments in the blue jersey, but the most impressive thing about his Chelsea tenure may be that in their 1970 FA Cup winning campaign, Osgood scored in every single round of the competition, which is incredibly impressive. His performances and iconic moments for ‘The Blues’ earned him a statue outside Stamford Bridge in 2010.
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Peter Osgood's Chelsea Statistics
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Related
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2 Frank Lampard
Chelsea career span: 2001-2014
Frank Lampard celebrates scoring for Chelsea.
Frank Lampard celebrates scoring for Chelsea.
As Chelsea’s all-time top goalscorer with 211 goals, Frank Lampard is not just one of the greatest English players to play for Chelsea, he is one of the greatest English players ever. The attacking midfielder joined the club in 2001 and was an ever present figure til his departure to Manchester City 13 years later.
In his 13 Premier League seasons spent at Chelsea, Lampard scored double figures on 11 occasions, which is a testament to both his consistency and longevity. Despite Lampard not being the official club captain, his leadership qualities were pivotal to Chelsea‘s success, and he often picked his teammates up in difficult situations and single-handedly led them to victory in key moments.
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Frank Lampard's Chelsea Statistics
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1 John Terry
Chelsea career span: 1998-2017
John Terry
John Terry
The epitome of ‘Captain Fantastic,’ John Terry, finds himself in the top spot in the list of greatest English players in Chelsea history. The warrior-like centre-half holds the appearance record for ‘The Blues’ and is arguably the most popular and loved player to ever represent the club.
Terry was not just a player who would put his body on the line for his club, but he was also one of the best defenders on the ball in Premier League history. Terry’s physical attributes, such as his great strength and aerial dominance, accompanied by his almost perfect passing ability and eye for a goal made him the complete defender and an integral cog in the Chelsea team in his almost 20-year spell at the club.
Terry was the definition of a serial winner at Chelsea, winning multiple league titles, FA Cups, League Cups and European trophies, which puts him firmly in the number one spot as the most decorated player in the club’s history.
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John Terry's Chelsea Statistics
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Stats via Transfermarkt - correct as of the 28th of November 2024.