As one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs, Chelsea have had their fair share of legends over the decades.
From the icons of yesteryear like Ron Harris to more contemporary legends like Didier Drogba and John Terry, Chelsea fans have been spoiled for choice across generations.
Chelsea have also had their fair share of cult heroes, players who may not necessarily have ‘legend’ status but who fans will never forget.
Former Chelsea striker Carlton Cole has now spoken about one of his old teammates at Stamford Bridge and how he was initially rated higher than Ronaldo Nazario.
Chelsea cult hero Eidur Gudjohnsen
Photo by Eddy LEMAISTRE/Corbis via Getty Images
Eidur Gudjohnsen initially rated more highly than Ronaldo
Cole, speaking alongside Wayne Bridge and Joe Cole on The Dressing Room podcast, spoke highly about former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen.
The Icelandic icon’s big break came when he was a teenager and moved to PSV Eindhoven from Reykjavik-based Valur.
Cole recalled how Gudjohnsen was being tipped for superstardom at the time.
However, a knee injury early on in his career meant that, while he still enjoyed a wonderful career, he isn’t deemed in the same bracket as R9.
Bridge said: “I’ll tell you who else I was surprised with at Chelsea, because I just didn’t realise how good he was.
“I knew he was good, but didn’t realise how good Eidur was.”
Cole then said: “Mate, Eidur? Let me tell you something about Eidur. He was rated higher than *the* Ronaldo when they were at PSV.
“So, Eidur was the young one, and then Ronaldo just came in from Brazil, right?
“Mate, Eidur was the Ronaldo, before Ronaldo was Ronaldo. So, you’ve got to look at the level.
“Then he got a bad knee injury, then he was playing catch-up all the time.
“Ronaldo then overtook him and started to get recognition for who he was, but Eidur was that good.
“Sometimes I look at Eidur, I just feel he could have achieved so much more if he didn’t get that injury because that kind of hampered his career all the way through, I think.”
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Eidur Gudjohnsen’s career
Gudjohnsen was beset by injury issues as a youngster, but despite returning to Iceland following his PSV spell, he did enough to earn himself a move to England with Bolton Wanderers.
He shone in the north-west, prompting Chelsea to sign him for £4.5million in 2000, the same summer as fellow Blues cult hero Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
Gudjohnsen made 263 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 78 goals and registering 41 assists, and he won two Premier League titles, a League Cup and two Community Shields.
He then moved to Barcelona for £8million in 2006, where he helped the Camp Nou side win a Champions League, a Liga title, a Copa del Rey, a UEFA Supercup and two Spanish Supercups.
Gudjohnsen also won 88 caps for Iceland and played for numerous other clubs including Stoke City, Tottenham Hotspur, Monaco, AEK Athens, Cercle Brugge and Club Brugge.