Frank Lampard in action for England
Frank Lampard in action for England
Iconic footballer of the 2000s, Frank Lampard accomplished virtually everything he could have wished for in a Chelsea shirt. The Englishman arrived from West Ham United in 2001 and would go on to establish himself as one of the Blues' all-time greats.
Scoring 211 goals across 648 appearances, the midfielder helped fire Chelsea to a remarkable trophy haul, including three Premier League titles, the Champions League, the Europa League, four FA Cups, and two League Cups. It was quite the collection of honours.
During that time, Lampard shared the pitch with some truly outstanding footballers. In 2021, speaking to Planet Football, he picked out five of them as his best teammates.
John Terry and Didier Drogba Among Top 2 Teammates
Frank Lampard and John Terry
Frank Lampard and John Terry
For his opening choices, he named John Terry and Didier Drogba together. It's easy to understand why when considering everything the trio accomplished at Stamford Bridge. They formed a formidable core of the Chelsea side that won three Premier League titles as well as that historic Champions League triumph. Lampard said:
“First and foremost they are great footballers, but they are also winners and that is what sets them apart from most players.
“In the big games, when it matters the most, these men, and that is what they are, stood up to be counted, and they are comfortably the top two I have played with for that reason.”
Eden Hazard Was "The Most Naturally Gifted"
Eden Hazard with the Premier League trophy
Eden Hazard with the Premier League trophy
Eden Hazard was another obvious inclusion on the list. The exceptional Belgian lifted the Europa League with Lampard, although his two Premier League titles arrived after the Englishman had departed Chelsea. Nevertheless, the prolific midfielder had plenty of praise for his former teammate:
“There is no limit to how far he can go. Hazard is the most naturally gifted player I played with and on his day he is unstoppable.
“He has said he wants to be up there with the best players in the world and he has the talent to do that. He just needs to add the consistency and the goals of a Messi or a Ronaldo to be considered in that class.”
John Terry
John Terry
Gianfranco Zola Meant "So Much To Chelsea Fans"
Gianfranco Zola celebrates with his arms outstretched after scoring for Chelsea.
Gianfranco Zola celebrates with his arms outstretched after scoring for Chelsea.
Gianfranco Zola shared the Chelsea dressing room with Lampard early in the midfielder's career, before the Italian departed in 2003. The pair did not collect any major silverware together – with the former regarded as one of the finest players to never win the Premier League – yet Lampard had enormous admiration for Zola's ability:
“He means so much to Chelsea fans. Of all the foreign players who came to the club at the start of the new era if you like, Zola is the one the fans loved more than any other.
“He was fantastic on and off the field. A great fella and a fantastic footballer.”
Gianfranco Zola to one side in Italy kit - with Diego Maradona (Napoli) and Frank Lampard (Chelsea) with chalkboard and formation on it
Gianfranco Zola to one side in Italy kit - with Diego Maradona (Napoli) and Frank Lampard (Chelsea) with chalkboard and formation on it
Sergio Aguero "Was World Class"
sergio aguero
sergio aguero
The only player who wasn't a Stamford Bridge teammate, Sergio Aguero, clearly made a lasting impression on Lampard – even if he did pick up a lot of fines for being late – during their time together at Manchester City. Their paths only crossed for one season, but the midfielder immediately recognised Aguero's exceptional quality:
“I was not at Man City for long, but straight away you could see that this guy was world-class. The goals he scored on the training pitch every day were frightening and he took that on to the field.
“You only need to look at his record since he came to City to appreciate what a class act he is and he was great to play with.”