Chelsea have won the Premier League five times, with the most recent title coming in the 2016/17 season. They are in with a chance of adding to this tally under new head coach Enzo Maresca, with Cole Palmer leading their title challenge. The Blues won the English top flight back-to-back for the first time in their history in 2005 and 2006. Frank Lampard and John Terry were integral players in these teams and both feature on this list.
Lampard is Chelsea's top goalscorer in Premier League history, with Didier Drogba, Eden Hazard and Gianfranco Zola also appearing. Here is a closer look at the top eight goalscorers in Chelsea's Premier League history.
Chelsea's Top 8 Goalscorers in Premier League History
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
8 John Terry
MixCollage-21-Nov-2024-04-37-PM-725
Terry is the only defender to appear on this list. He scored 41 goals for Chelsea during a 19-year spell at the club from 1998 to 2017. The English centre-back also appeared in all five title-winning teams, along with the Champions League triumph in 2012.
While Terry became well-known for his heading from corners, he was also adept at scoring with his feet. This was evident during a match against Everton in January 2016 when he scored a backheel past the goalkeeper. He also scored a left-footed volley from the edge of the box against Wigan Athletic in February 2009, further highlighting the versatility of his goalscoring ability.
7 Diego Costa
Diego Costa
There are still some Chelsea fans who think they haven't fully replaced Diego Costa. The enigmatic striker signed from Atletico Madrid in 2014 and spent three years at the Blues, winning two Premier League titles and scoring 52 goals. His most impressive season was his first when he scored 20 in 26 appearances, registering three assists.
Costa was a terrifying prospect for defenders, as he dropped deep to pick the ball up to create chances but also looked to make runs in behind whenever possible. One of his best goals for Chelsea was against Southampton in 2016. He picked the ball up from Hazard just outside the box before curling the ball into the bottom corner. A goal that showed a different side to his game was against Arsenal in 2014 when a long Cesc Fabregas ball found him in behind the Gunners' defence. His touch was inch-perfect before he lifted the ball past the goalkeeper.
Related
Gerard Pique: Barcelona icon once saved Diego Costa from himself after red card
Gerard Pique proved himself to be a class act when escorting Diego Costa off the pitch after being sent off during Barcelona v Atletico Madrid in 2019
6 Eidur Gudjohnsen
Chelsea's Eidur Gudjohnsen celebrates scoring against Leeds United.
Eidur Gudjohnsen finds himself in sixth on this list. He scored two more Premier League goals than Costa, winning the competition twice during his six-year spell at the club. His best season at the club was in the 2001/02 campaign, when he scored 14 and registered seven assists. This included the third goal in Chelsea's memorable win against Manchester United at Old Trafford in December 2001. He picked the ball up in behind the United defence and neatly finished past Fabien Barthez with his left foot.
The Icelandic striker was renowned for his powerful ball striking with both feet. Perhaps his most memorable strike for the Blues was his bicycle kick against Leeds United in 2003. Speaking about the goal in an interview with FourFourTwo in 2024, he said:
“It’s the one that gave me the biggest natural high. You dream of these things as a kid and practise it thousands of times in the garden or in training; to do it in the Premier League against a big rival like Leeds was very special indeed.
"I remember Zola telling me after the match, “Eidur, you showed me something special today”. That meant the world to me.”
5 Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola celebrates with his arms outstretched after scoring for Chelsea.
Zola remains one of the greatest Chelsea players in Premier League history. He spent seven years at the Blues from 1996 to 2003, scoring 59 goals. His best season at the club was in the 2002/03 campaign, when he scored 14 and registered seven assists, guiding the London club to a fourth-placed finish behind Newcastle United, Arsenal and Manchester United.
The Italian is one of the best dribblers the club has ever seen. Many of his goals saw him take on multiple opposition defenders before tucking the ball away. This includes his impressive solo effort against United in 1997, which saw him take it past three defenders before chopping inside and scoring past Peter Schmeichel with his left foot.
4 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Andy Todd, Richard Rufus
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink enjoyed a successful four-year spell at Chelsea, scoring 69 Premier League goals. In his first two seasons at the club, he scored 46 goals and registered 16 assists. His best goal for the Blues came against United in September 2000, when Tore Andre Flo's ball from the right-hand side found him on the edge of the box. He brought the ball down with his chest before smashing the ball into the top corner to stun the Old Trafford crowd.
His best performance came against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in March 2002. Hasselbaink scored a perfect hat-trick, which included a right-footed free-kick that found the top corner and a curling left-footed effort in open play.
Ranking the greatest English players in Chelsea history ft Dennis Wise, Peter Osgood and Frank Lampard Related
10 Greatest English Players in Chelsea History (Ranked)
The Blues have had some of the best English players the top-flight has ever seen.
3 Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard of Chelsea
Hazard remains a fan favourite at Chelsea, spending his best years at the club from 2012 to 2019. He scored 85 Premier League goals, winning the competition twice in the 2014/15 and 2016/17 campaigns. The first title-winning campaign under Jose Mourinho saw him score 14 and register nine assists, while the second one under Antonio Conte saw the Belgian score 16 and register five assists.
Undoubtedly, his best season at Chelsea was his last. He scored 16 goals and registered 15 assists in the 2018/19 campaign, earning himself a €100m (£88.5m) transfer to Spanish giants Real Madrid. Hazard had many memorable moments and performances during his time in London. One of his best goals was against Arsenal in February 2017, which saw him pick the ball up on the halfway line before taking it past four opposition defenders and tucking the ball past Petr Cech.
2 Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba scoring for Chelsea in 2006.
Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 and spent heavily in the first couple of years of his ownership. One of the landmark signings he got over the line was Drogba from Marseille for £24 million in July 2004. At the time, the Ivory Coast striker was Chelsea's most expensive signing in the club's history. He didn't disappoint, scoring 10 and registering five assists in his first full season, helping the Blues secure their first league title since 1955.
Drogba spent eight years at Chelsea, winning the Premier League four times and also lifting the Champions League trophy in 2012, which saw him score the decisive penalty in the shootout. His best season at the Blues was in the 2009/10 campaign under Carlo Ancelotti, which saw him score 29 and register 10 assists.
Todd Boehly and Didier Drogba Related
Five Chelsea Players Didier Drogba Wished he Shared Pitch With
Chelsea legend Didier Drogba has revealed five past and present Blues stars he wished he played alongside
1 Frank Lampard
Chelsea's Frank Lampard celebrates vs Aston Villa
Lampard is Chelsea's top goalscorer in Premier League history. He scored 147 goals for the Blues in the English top flight, which is 43 more than his nearest challenger, Drogba. The English midfielder joined the club from West Ham United in 2001 and became a club legend after spending 13 successful years at Stamford Bridge. During this time, he won the Premier League three times, including twice under Mourinho, in the 2004/05 and 2005/06 campaigns. In both of these seasons, he was named in the PFA Team of the Year, scoring 13 and 16 goals, respectively.
He scored many stunning goals for the Blues, including a 20-yard right-footed strike against Everton, which flew past the Toffees goalkeeper. His best performance arguably came against Bolton Wanderers in April 2005. Chelsea knew that they needed a victory to secure their first league title in 50 years, and Lampard was on hand to score a brace and spark jubilant scenes in the away end.
Information gathered from 11v11 and FourFourTwo - Correct as of 12/12/24.