The Blues
Formed
1905
Stadium Capacity
41,837
Pitch
103 x 67 metres
CLUB PERSONNEL
Chelsea FC plc is the company which owns Chelsea Football Club. The ultimate parent company of Chelsea FC plc is Fordstam Limited and the ultimate controlling party of Fordstam Limited is Roman Abramovich.
CHELSEA FC plc BOARD :Chairman: Bruce Buck.
Directors: Eugene Tenenbaum, Ron Gourlay (chief executive).
CHELSEA FC plc BOARD BIOGRAPHIES:
Bruce Buck, Chairman:
Born in New York, he has been a Chelsea supporter since coming to London in 1983 and has been a season ticket holder since 1991. He is a shareholder in Chelsea Limited, the ultimate owner of the club, and the company used by Roman Abramovich for the takeover in 2003 and is managing partner in Europe for the US law firm Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom.
Ron Gourlay, Chief Executive:
Previously chief operating officer, he had been with Chelsea for five years in a variety of director-level roles before becoming chief executive in November 2009. He has more than 25 years experience in football having previously undertaken senior roles at Manchester United and Umbro.
Eugene Tenenbaum, Director:
Born in the Ukraine but moved to Canada at an early age, Eugene is one of Roman Abramovich's closest associates and was formerly head of corporate finance at Sibneft, the oil company sold by Mr Abramovich in 2006. He is currently the managing director of MHC-Services Ltd. He holds a bachelors degree in commerce and finance and a degree in economics from University of Toronto and is a Canadian chartered accountant.
The day-to-day running of Chelsea is undertaken by the football club's Executive Board headed by chief executive Ron Gourlay:
EXECUTIVE BOARD BIOGRAPHIES:(in alphabetical order)
Chris Alexander, Finance and Operations Director:
Trained as a chartered accountant with Price Waterhouse and has 20 years financial experience in different industries. Prior to joining Chelsea in March 2003 he worked in France as the FD of a construction related business where he completed an MBA at one of Europe's leading business schools.
David Barnard, Director / Club Secretary:
Joined Chelsea in July 2002. Has overall responsibility for the day-to-day administration of the Football Department. Has just completed 30 seasons in football. Previous clubs are Fulham, Colchester and Wimbledon. Also a member of the Football Club board which oversees football policy for the club.
Company Secretary, Alan Shaw:Joined Chelsea in 1993. Has a wide range of business knowledge, having run legal, construction, HR, customer services and planning teams through a variety of projects in differing organisations from retail to engineering , merchant banking and professional football. Interests include tennis, horse racing and cinema.
FOOTBALL CLUB BOARD:
Bruce Buck, Eugene Tenenbaum, Ron Gourlay, David Barnard, Mike Forde.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Training Ground
The training ground is at Cobham in Surrey but sessions are not open to the general public. Special open days are organised at Stamford Bridge when fans can see the team train.
Creche
Chelsea operates a creche during the match on home weekend matchdays and caters for children from one to five-years-old. The service is free but donations for equipment are appreciated. Bookings are taken on 08719 841955.
Chelsea Matchday Programme
If you wish to advertise in the Matchday Programme call Profile Sports Media on 020 7332 2000.
Matchday Child Mascot PolicyChildren between the age of 6 and 12 years old act as mascots for the Chelsea team before each home and away game.
A waiting list operates for children to become mascots. New names are added in the order in which applications are received. There is currently a wait of approximately three to four seasons between joining the list and being a mascot.
The length of the waiting list should be considered when making an application. For instance, a 10-year-old would not currently be added as the child will not reach the top of the list before reaching the age limit.
When confirmation is sent that a child has been added to the waiting list, it is stated that the club cannot guarantee the top of it will be reached before the age limit.
There are two Chelsea mascots at our home league fixtures and one at away league fixtures. Mascots are present for cup games as and when permitted by the competition's sponsor.
Anyone wishing to add a child to the list should send the child's name, address and date of birth to:
Kim Mall
Chelsea Football Club
Stamford Bridge
Fulham Road
London
SW6 1HS
Hooligan Hotline
Chelsea Football Club works in partnership with the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and the Metropolitan Police Service in our endeavours to create a safe enviroment for supporters and the local community.
If you have any information concerning football hooliganism, please forward your concerns to the National Hooligan Hotline on 0800 515495. This is a confidential line which will not appear on your phone bill.
Should you have any information concerning ANY crime, this may be confidentially reported to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
If you wish to receive information about a career within the Metropolitan Police Service as a Police Officer; member of the Civil Support Staff or voluntary service within the Special Constabulary then further information may be found on the Metropolitian Police website (www.met.police.uk) and the Crimestoppers website (www.crimestoppers-uk.org).
Chelsea Customer Charter
If you would like a copy of the charter you can download it by clicking here or write to Customer Charter, Call Centre, Chelsea Football Club, Stamford Bridge, London, SW6 1HS.
Ground Regulations
Chelsea Football Club's ground regulations apply to anyone entering the stadium. A copy can be requested from the club.
Fighting RacismChelsea Football Club practices a zero tolerance policy towards racism at Stamford Bridge and takes a leading role in all the major anti-racist campaigns such as Kick Racism Out of Football, Show Racism the Red Card and all Uefa backed Europe-wide campaigns.
A waiting list operates for children to become mascots. New names are added in the order in which applications are received. There is currently a wait of approximately three to four seasons between joining the list and being a mascot.
The length of the waiting list should be considered when making an application. For instance, a 10-year-old would not currently be added as the child will not reach the top of the list before reaching the age limit.
When confirmation is sent that a child has been added to the waiting list, it is stated that the club cannot guarantee the top of it will be reached before the age limit.
There are two Chelsea mascots at our home league fixtures and one at away league fixtures. Mascots are present for cup games as and when permitted by the competition's sponsor.
Anyone wishing to add a child to the list should send the child's name, address and date of birth to:
Kim Mall
Chelsea Football Club
Stamford Bridge
Fulham Road
London
SW6 1HS
Hooligan Hotline
Chelsea Football Club works in partnership with the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham and the Metropolitan Police Service in our endeavours to create a safe enviroment for supporters and the local community.
If you have any information concerning football hooliganism, please forward your concerns to the National Hooligan Hotline on 0800 515495. This is a confidential line which will not appear on your phone bill.
Should you have any information concerning ANY crime, this may be confidentially reported to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
If you wish to receive information about a career within the Metropolitan Police Service as a Police Officer; member of the Civil Support Staff or voluntary service within the Special Constabulary then further information may be found on the Metropolitian Police website (www.met.police.uk) and the Crimestoppers website (www.crimestoppers-uk.org).
Chelsea Customer Charter
If you would like a copy of the charter you can download it by clicking here or write to Customer Charter, Call Centre, Chelsea Football Club, Stamford Bridge, London, SW6 1HS.
Ground Regulations
Chelsea Football Club's ground regulations apply to anyone entering the stadium. A copy can be requested from the club.
Fighting RacismChelsea Football Club practices a zero tolerance policy towards racism at Stamford Bridge and takes a leading role in all the major anti-racist campaigns such as Kick Racism Out of Football, Show Racism the Red Card and all Uefa backed Europe-wide campaigns.
Payments to Agents - 2009/10Total Amount paid to Agents in the period 1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010: £9,293,751.48
Explanatory Note:The amount shown is the aggregate of all payments made to agents during the reporting period for agency activity, including payments made by the club on behalf of players.
CLUB BADGESChelsea's official badge has changed five times (with a few variations on each) in our 100+ year history.  This is the the first Chelsea badge showing one of the famous Chelsea Pensioners that gave rise to our early nickname. It was never worn on any shirts however but did appear on later matchday programmes. When Ted Drake became Chelsea manager in 1952, he instigated a move away from the old 'Pensioners' tag and wanted a new image to go with the new nickname, the Blues. While the new design was being worked on, this cipher of the club's initials was used for a solitary season as a stop-gap.  Probably the most famous of the Chelsea badges and used for 33 years, this design was inspired by the civic coat of arms of the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea.The lion was derived from the Arms of Earl Cadogan who was president of the club and also held the title Viscount Chelsea. The staff is that of the Abbot of Westminster whose jurisdiction extended over Chelsea. The roses represent England and the footballs more obviously represent the game. Chelsea did not start wearing badges on their shirts until 1960 making this the first one used in that way. For the first few seasons the full badge, complete with circle, was sewn onto the shirts. However due to the complexity of the design several simplified variations were stitched into the shirts during the 60s and 70s, even though the full design complete with circle remained the official club badge. The cup triumphs of the early 70s were marked with the addition of an FA Cup symbol and stars.  In 1986 the club adopted our fourth badge to make the most of the growing merchandising opportunities around football. While the design of the lion and CFC letters was always constant, several colour combinations were used over time and the design was at various times used within circle or shield outlines.The badge was used for almost 19 years and many fans will have started supporting Chelsea knowing no other form. While it served the club well, fans inundated the new board of directors with demands for a return to the old-style design to take Chelsea into a new era, especially ahead of the centenary year.  Launched in November 2004, the new badge became effective from May 2005. Additionally, a special centenary version was used during that initial commemorative year. At the launch, Peter Kenyon said: "We are incredibly proud of Chelsea's heritage. The design of this new badge is based on the one from the 1950s and it was a conscious decision to do this. "As we approach our centenary year, and the club embarks on a new and very exciting era, it is appropriate that we have a new identity that reflects our tradition and can represent us for the next 100 years." |
TEAM HISTORY - INTRODUCTION
Chelsea Football Club has been good at celebrating special anniversaries. The year 2005 saw us reach the major milestone of 100 years-old. What better way was there to mark the centenary than by becoming champions of England for the second time in our existence?
Our golden jubilee had been similarly honoured. The club won silverware in the 1960s, the 70s, the 90s and at the turn of the new millennium, but 1955 was the year we finished above all other teams in the League for the first time.
It was also Chelsea's earliest major trophy. The first five decades had seen the club develop into an integral part of sporting life in England's capital city with famous players and a large, often full stadium.
Chelsea were popular, but achievement fell a long way short of that now enjoyed by the current team, which began the second 100 years of Chelsea history as the best in the land and the biggest football story throughout the world.
Even if trophy success proved elusive in the first 50 years, the club had been set up for the big time from the moment Henry Augustus Mears had a change of heart one Sunday morning in the autumn of 1904.
Of all the decisions that have shaped the history of Chelsea FC, there can be none more crucial than the one this Edwardian businessman made that particular day.
Gus Mears was an enthusiast for a sport that had taken northern Britain by storm but had yet to take off in the capital in quite the same way. London at the turn of the century failed to provide a single team to the Football League First Division.
Mears had spotted the potential for a football club to play at an old athletics ground at Stamford Bridge, an open piece of land in west London. It was a ground he planned to massively redevelop.
But unforeseen problems had followed, as did a lucrative offer for the land. Mears was on the verge of selling up and abandoning his sporting dream.
Colleague Frederick Parker, an enthusiastic supporter of the football stadium project attempted to dissuade him but on the fateful Sunday morning, Parker was told he was wasting his time.
As the two walked on, without warning Mears' dog bit Parker, drawing blood and causing great pain, but only an amused reaction from Parker.
"You took that bite damn well," Mears announced before telling his accomplice he would now trust his judgement over others. "Meet me here at nine tomorrow and we'll get busy," he said. Stamford Bridge was alive once more.
Not that Chelsea FC was in the original plan. The finest sports stadium in London seemed a little out of place on the edge of well-heeled and arty Chelsea but as history shows, Mears had chosen well. The proximity to the vibrant centre of town made it perfect as a new venue for football.
Due to financial disagreement, nearby Fulham Football Club, already in existence declined an offer to abandon the less grand Craven Cottage and move in. So in contrast to the history of so many clubs, Mears decided to build a team for a stadium, rather than the other way round.
On March 10th 1905, a meeting convened opposite the stadium in a pub now called The Butcher's Hook. One item on the agenda was a name for the new club. Stamford Bridge FC, Kensington FC and intriguingly, London FC were all rejected. Chelsea FC was what it was to be - and the story had begun.
John Tait Robertson, a Scottish international was the first player/manager and a squad of respected players was signed, providing a league could be found to compete in.
The Southern League was the natural choice for our location but they were unwelcoming to these upstarts. Undaunted, Chelsea simply set our sights higher and went straight for the northern-dominated Football League.
On May 29th 1905, the Football League AGM dramatically elected us to the Second Division. Parker again proved persuasive as we became the first club ever to make the League without having kicked a ball.
| CHELSEA Squad |  |
|
7 Ramires
10 Juan Mata
12 Mikel
26 John Terry
33 Alex
Manager: Andre Villas-Boas
Chelsea CareerPetr Cech arrived in 2004 for £7 million, more than all the past goalkeepers in Chelsea history combined, with the task of challenging established number one Carlo Cudicini. He immediately caught the eye with his height, incredible reaction speed and confidence in leaving his goal-line and began his Chelsea career as Jose Mourinho's first choice. He had to be good to keep Cudicini out. A clean-sheet laden first season at Stamford Bridge was statistically the most accomplished by any Chelsea keeper - a run of 1,024 minutes without conceding a goal between December and March set a new English top flight record. By the end of that season he had his first championship medal plus records for the fewest goals conceded and most clean sheets in an English top-flight season, recognised with the award of the Barclays Golden Gloves for 2004/05. Though the 2005/06 version of the Chelsea defence was never quite as watertight as the season before, Petr continued to excel and was a major force in capturing a consecutive Premiership title. Serious injury in October 2006 cast big doubts over the future of his career, but Petr overcame a fractured skull that had required immediate surgery, 30 stitches and much rest to return just three months later. Within weeks he had recorded a seven-game run for club and country without conceding a goal, all while sporting the skull protection that has become a trade mark, and he ended the season with both domestic cups. Injuries took their toll again during 2007/08, and change of management brought a change of goalkeeping coach - Christophe Lollichon, his coach at former club Rennes, joined the Blues - as Silvino Louro left with Mourinho. Despite calf, hip and facial afflictions, 6ft 4in Petr was there as we reached the Champions League Final in Moscow, making a string of vital saves before we were eventually beaten on penalties by Manchester United - his save from Cristiano Ronaldo in the shootout proving academic. After a typically consistent opening to the 2008/09 campaign, Petr's form, and those in front of him, took a dip around Christmas and new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari experimented with a set-piece zonal marking system which contributed to points being lost against Fulham and Manchester United, while we were nearly embarrassed in the FA Cup by Southend and then Ipswich. Scolari's exit brought about an improvement in form under Guus Hiddink, the highlight of Petr's season coming in the Camp Nou as Barcelona were kept at bay, important saves made against Samuel Eto'o and Alex Hleb. For the first season in three there were no major injury problems, with 35 Premier League appearances and an ever-present record in the Champions League. In 2009/10 Petr further enhanced his own reputation with a solid season and a major contribution towards a first Premier League and FA Cup Double. Individual errors were reduced, though a couple of mishaps occurred at Stoke and Aston Villa, but Petr bounced back to concede just two more in the next eight games as we entered the Christmas period on top of the league, and while a calf injury at the San Siro prevented him from participating in our Champions League second-leg defeat against Inter, causing him to miss five games, he returned for the run-in and had a big say in the direction the silverware went, earning the Premier League's Golden Glove on the final day of the season with his 17th clean sheet from 34 games. Petr kept perhaps his best for last. In the FA Cup Final he first pulled off an amazing instinctive save to prevent Frederic Piquionne from opening the scoring, and then kept out Kevin-Prince Boateng's spot-kick with his feet, moments before Didier Drogba went up the other end and scored a superb free-kick. Cech's next campaign began with a calf strain in pre-season, but he returned in time for the first league game and he would be an ever-present, surpassing the 300-appearance mark. He has since become Chelsea's highest appearing foreign player, going past Gianfranco Zola's 312. At the end of the season he was voted Chelsea's Player of the Year for the first time. A knee injury hampered the early stages of 2011/12 causing him to miss two games, but he was soon back between the sticks, though facing criticism with goals flying past him. He was beaten five times by Arsenal in late October, the first time we had conceded as many since 2002, but if anyone has the strength of character to deal with such issues it is Cech, and he kept a clean sheet at Blackburn on Bonfire Night despite sustaining a broken nose in the early stages of the game, after a collision with his own defender Ashley Cole. Pre-ChelseaA precocious talent, Petr built his reputation at Sparta Prague where at the age of 19 he broke the national record for the longest spell without conceding a goal. Equally hard to beat in the Champions League, over 1,000 minutes in all competitions passed without a goal. That earned a move to Rennes in France where midway through his second season he agreed to join Chelsea for the next campaign on a five-year contract. International CareerAt Under 21 international level Petr was a major factor in the crowning of the Czech Republic as 2002 European Champions while at senior level, Euro 2004 brought five clean sheets, a semi-final and a place in Uefa's all-star squad of the tournament. His reputation on the international stage continued to grow and he represented his country at both the World Cup in 2006, Czech Republic's first since splitting with Slovakia in 1993, and Euro 2008, where it was his unfortunate late error in the group stages that saw his country eliminated. He bounced back to be named Czech Footballer of the Year for the fifth time in 2010 and although they failed to qualify for South Africa 2010, Petr continues as team captain. >> Click here to visit Petr Cech's official website
Season 2011 - 12
Chelsea careerBranislav's start to life as a Chelsea player was slow. Signed in January 2008, it took him eight months to gain the necessary match fitness to play in the Carling Cup away at Portsmouth, before a lengthier spell in the heart of defence alongside John Terry after injury to Ricardo Carvalho and Alex. Settled in London and his English steadily improving, Branislav began to show his true capabilities, while also earning cult status among Chelsea fans for his Champions League double at Anfield in April 2009. Deployed at centre-half, Ivanovic went up for two corners and was almost ignored as the threat of Terry and Didier Drogba was deemed more dangerous by Liverpool, allowing him to ghost in and crash home two headers, all but booking our place in that season's semi-finals. He kept his place for a run of games afterwards, marking Thierry Henry in the Camp Nou, and while at first struggling with the Frenchman's raw pace, he adapted and made a number of important blocks, interceptions and clearances. If steady progress was the theme of Branislav's first full season as a Chelsea player when he played 26 times, in his second he made himself almost indispensable. Beginning that 2009/10 campaign as understudy to Jose Bosingwa at right-back, the Serb came in when the Portuguese suffered a season-ending knee injury in October, and never looked back, contributing a series of assured displays with his strong defensive work and powerful attacking play. His 41 appearances placed him as a frontrunner in voting for our Player of the Year award, and although he eventually lost out to Drogba, he joined the Ivorian in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season. He bundled himself his solitary goal of the campaign at Bolton at the end of October as he kept seven consecutive clean sheets in all competitions, while beginning to offer an added threat in attack. Away in the San Siro in the Champions League he was arguably at fault for Inter's first goal but compensated by charging his way through their midfield and defence to tee up Salomon Kalou for the equaliser. The domestic title race was tight, and going all the way, so it was frustrating for the Serb to pick up a calf injury at Blackburn in March. It kept him out almost a month, returning as a half-time sub at Spurs after damage had already been done, and starting in the 7-0 bashing of Stoke. Impeccable in a vital win at Liverpool, he then set up Nicolas Anelka before coming off on the hour to a champion's ovation against Wigan as the title was won. During 2010/11, Ivanovic was an almost ever-present in the back four, his form rarely dipping below excellent as he earned a new five-and-a-half year deal, signed in early February that will keep him at the club until 2016. There were key goals too, like the late winner at Blackburn in October and a brace against Spartak Moscow in the Champions League group stages, yet his season will be remembered for his committed consistency on the back foot. Boasting one of football's most powerful physiques, he finished a runner-up in the end of season Player of the Year awards. The appointment of Andre Villas-Boas brought a more attacking philosophy to the side, which meant increased competition at right-back from the previously out of favour Bosingwa who was given the nod to start the season. Injury in the centre allowed the Serbian a route back into the team though, but clean sheets were proving hard to come by. To counter this, Villas-Boas shifted Branislav to right-back and recalled Alex for the trip to Blackburn in early November, securing a 1-0 win. Pre-Chelsea Signed from Lokomotiv Moscow on a three-and-a-half year contract, Branislav became then manager Avram Grant's second signing in the January 2008 transfer window, following on from the arrival of Nicolas Anelka. Having begun his career in his native Serbia at local club Sremska Mitrovica, he soon moved to the Serbian capital Belgrade to play for OFK Beograd where he remained for three seasons, joining Lokomotiv in the summer of 2006. He appeared for the Russian side in the Uefa Cup. International Career A star of Serbia's Under 21s in both the 2006 and 2007 European Championships, Branislav was voted into the Uefa Team of the Tournament for the more recent event, and successfully graduated into a regular for the full national side. He made his Serbia and Montenegro debut in June 2006 and was established on the international scene before he was established for Chelsea. No-one played more minutes for Serbia in qualifying for 2010 World Cup where he was a regular although his team didn't make it out the group stage despite defeating Germany. He previously captained Serbia to the final of the European Under 21 Championships. When Nemanja Vidic stood down as captain in 2011, Branislav emerged as a strong candidate to take over the armband.
Season 2011 - 12
Chelsea career Now in his sixth season at the club, Ashley Cole was a 2006 summer deadline day signing from Arsenal, to whom we paid £5 million plus William Gallas, and he made his debut against Werder Bremen in September that year. A fabulous athlete who loves to go forward, he admitted at that season's end that Blues fans had yet to see him at his very best, a series of injures having hindered the settling process. Competition with Wayne Bridge for the left-back slot had ended with a roughly even share of games. An ankle operation in the summer cleared the way for an uninhibited start to the 2007/08 campaign and with Bridge injured, Ashley got off to a flyer and enjoy the lion's share of matches that season, particularly for the big encounters. His first Chelsea goal was lashed in away at West Ham in March 2008, and after surviving an injury scare in training on the eve of the Champions League Final, he recovered to put in one of the best displays on the night, including a successful shoot-out penalty. In 2008/09 under Luiz Felipe Scolari, Ashley was utilised far more in attack but with the arrival of Guus Hiddink, the full-back had his wings clipped, focusing more on defence, a tactic that paid off with a number of clean sheets. Voted Players' Player of the Year at the end of 2008/09, Ashley had put previous injury concerns behind him to turn in a personal record number of club appearances in a season (49). He won the FA Cup against Everton in 2009, a feat repeated in May 2010 against Portsmouth when he entered the record books as the only man to win six FA Cups, three with Chelsea in 2007, 2009 and 2010, and three with Arsenal. The latest came at the end of another season of unfaltering consistency for arguably the best left-back in the world, his sixth FA Cup joined by his second Double, along with Nicolas Anelka the first man to do so with two different clubs. On a personal level, he scored a record four times in the same season, including the Chelsea Goal of the Season against Sunderland in January, a deft flick after controlling John Terry's long pass expertly and cutting inside his man. He supplied goals against Stoke and Tottenham, while finding the scoresheet in explosive fashion against Burnley, and then Spurs, before twice claiming assists at former club Arsenal in November 2009. After fracturing his ankle in a challenge with Everton's Landon Donovan in Februrary, dedication and a fast-healing body helped him back before the end of April for the 7-0 win against Stoke, and he found the net one more time against Wigan on the final day of the league season. For the first time in his career, 2010/11 saw him end the campaign as a Premier League ever-present, having started all 38 league matches. It was a figure that helped him over the 200-game mark for Chelsea, and for the second time in his Stamford Bridge career he ended the season as Players' Player of the Year, and returned into the PFA's representative XI, the only Chelsea man in the side, as well as Uefa's Team of the Year for 2010. Pre-Chelsea A product of Arsenal's youth system, Ashley was born in east London and made his debut for the Gunners at the age of 18 in the League Cup. He spent a three-month loan period at Crystal Palace at the end of the 1999/00 season, making 14 appearances and scoring one goal, his progress rewarded with his first Premiership appearance in the final league game of the season. By the end of the following campaign, Ashley had taken over as first choice left-back from Silvinho, and the next season was handed his first winners' medals as Arsenal secured the Double, beating Chelsea in the Final. A year later Southampton were beaten in Cardiff to take the Cup tally to two. He was also well on the way to his second Premiership title (playing 32 times in Arsenal's unbeaten league season of 2003/04) and had become an England international. A third FA Cup win was added in 2005, and although his final Arsenal season saw him hampered by injuries, he recovered to start their Champions League Final defeat by Barcelona, his last game for the club. International career Having played for England at youth and Under 21 levels, Ashley was named in Sven-Göran Eriksson's first squad and made his full international debut against Albania in March 2001. He played all five England games at the World Cup in 2002 and for many people, was one of his nation's star performers during Euro 2004 in Portugal. He was named in the all-star squad for the tournament. He also played each of England's five games at the 2006 World Cup, but was absent in crucial qualifiers as they missed out on Euro 2008. After nine years at the top of the game, he became England's joint-most-capped full-back in October 2010, matching Kenny Sansom's 86 caps in the 0-0 draw with Montenegro, going on to break the record in subsequent games, and he will now be earmarking a century of appearances for his country. He was voted England's Player of the Year for 2010 by supporters.
Season 2011 - 12
Chelsea careerDavid Luiz (full name David Luiz Moreira Marinho) signed on transfer deadline day in January 2011 after a protracted transfer from Portuguese champions Benfica. On putting pen to a five-and-a-half year contract he become the third Brazilian in the current squad, linking up with former Benfica team-mate Ramires and fellow defender Alex. A 6ft 2in centre-back who can cover at either left- or right-back, he is renowned for his skill on the ball as much as his defensive ability. After signing for Chelsea, he outlined his determination to nail down a regular place in the side, and took the previously unclaimed number 4 shirt, last worn by Claude Makelele. He won plenty of plaudits for his early showings although conceded a late penalty on his first start, saved by Petr Cech, and went on to win the man of the match award. Ineligible for the Champions League, he retained his place in the Premier League side until a goal conceded in the opening seconds at Old Trafford torpedoed Chelsea's title chances and Carlo Ancelotti left the Brazilian out of the remaining games. He had earlier scored against United at Stamford Bridge, and headed home against Manchester City in the Premier League to keep our title hopes alive. A knee injury following international duty meant he started the current campaign out of the side but he returned in mid-September and duly found the scoresheet again, this time curling home from the edge of the area against Bayer Leverkusen on his Chelsea Champions League debut. Pre-ChelseaTwenty-three years old when he signed on deadline day in January 2011, David Luiz was born in Sao Paulo and began his career with Esporte Clube Vitoria in Bahia where he made 47 appearances. He switched to Benfica, initially on loan in January 2007 before making the move permanent that summer. In total he made 82 league appearances for the Lisbon club missing just one game in the 2009/10 season as they wrapped up a first league title in five years. Uefa.com voted him the Portuguese League's Player of the Year. International careerDavid Luiz, who made his Brazil debut against America during the 2009/10 season, had earlier represented his country at the 2007 Under 20 World Cup, He was in the Brazil squad that contested the Copa America in July 2011, and returned to the squad for the September internationals despite not having featured for Chelsea.
Season 2011 - 12
Chelsea Career Jose Mourinho used the word 'multifunctional' when Michael signed for Chelsea from Lyon in August 2005, and the reported £24.4 million price tag reflected this versatility. Comfortable in central midfield, over the years he has also played at right-back, in the centre of defence and as a right winger. After a low-key start to his Chelsea career, which saw a period of adaptation to what referees would accept as legitimate tackles, Essien was voted 2007 Player of the Year by supporters, recognising not just steam-train performances in midfield but also his ability to provide solutions to a multitude of problems elsewhere. He followed up an outstanding performance in central defence during a clean sheet 2007 FA Cup Final display with his selection at right-back in the Champions League Final a year later, picked ahead of two specialists in the position. Memorable goals are part of the Essien repertoire. His equaliser against Arsenal in December 2006 was voted that campaign's Chelsea Goal of the Season and was nearly matched by a charge forward and angled drive in Valencia that sent the Blues into the 2007 Champions League semi-final. Then came the 25-yard left-footed volley that almost eliminated Barcelona from Europe in 2009. That sensational strike came just two months after he had returned from a damaged cruciate ligament sustained on international duty which had kept him sidelined for six months. Within days he had scored both in Europe and the league, and Michael's short season continued as he put in a trademark dominating performance against Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, and the season would end there on a high with Everton beaten 2-1 in the Final. Major injury struck again in 2009/10, and again on national service. New manager Carlo Ancelotti was able to rotate his midfield regularly, meaning Essien was in and out a little in the opening couple of months. He fired home from distance against Blackburn in late October as we won 5-0, then dominated Bolton twice in four days and finally providing the effective barrier that prevented Man United from scoring at the Bridge. Michael hit another two, the first time he had done so for Chelsea, against Wolves in November, his first a header and his second another from outside the area that wriggled under the goalkeeper. He was imperious alongside Mikel against Arsenal at the Emirates, and scored against APOEL in the Champions League before succumbing to a torn hamstring. The damage kept him out until January, by which time he had joined up with Ghana at the African Cup of Nations, but after playing 45 minutes against Ivory Coast, he broke down in training with a fresh knee problem. Michael underwent surgery at the end of January, but complications meant he would not return before the end of the campaign, forced to spend the Double-winning celebrations, and the World Cup, on the sidelines. He returned fully fit for 2010/11 and started excellently, scoring three in two games against West Ham and Zilina, and amply plugging the gap left by the departures of Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and Deco. A needless injury-time red card after heading the only goal of the game against Fulham brought an impressive run to an end, and following his return from suspension the midfielder struggled to dominate games in the same way. Despite that Essien still clocked up 33 league appearances, taking him past the 200-game mark for the club, but disaster struck once more on the first day of pre-season training under new manager Andre Villas-Boas, when further knee damage was sustained, expected to keep him out for a further six months. Pre-Chelsea Michael grew up near Accra, capital of his homeland, and the city that also gave the world Marcel Desailly. Unlike the former Chelsea captain, Michael remained in Africa into adulthood, beginning his club football at Liberty Professionals. His profile was raised by a third-placed finish for Ghana in the Under 17 World Cup which led to a trial at Manchester United, but he eventually signed for French side Bastia. At first he was used to fill a variety of positions across the defence but could not hold down a regular place. Then injury left a vacancy in midfield and Michael never looked back. Bastia reached the French Cup Final in 2002 and the following summer he made the move to league champions Lyon for 7.8 million euro. He was voted Player of the Year in France while at the club and shone as Lyon became one the Champions League's most feared teams, but he made no secret of his desire to move to the Premier League. International Career Michael arrived at Chelsea a full international, and has taken his international appearances to over 50 during his time at Stamford Bridge. He represented his country at the 2006 World Cup, their first appearance at the tournament, and was immensely proud to play in the 2008 African Nations as part of the host team, though Ghana eventually finished third. In late 2008 he sustained his cruciate ligament injury while playing for Ghana, and his most recent long-term knee problem also came on international duty at the 2010 African Nations, where he broke down in training and did not recover in time to take part in Africa's first World Cup in the summer. He spent over a year away from the international stage to ensure a full receovery but with a Chelsea season under his belt, he announced in May 2010 that he was once more available to play for Ghana. >>Click here to visit Essien's official website.
Season 2011 - 12
Chelsea careerOriol Romeu Vidal joined from Barcelona in August 2011, signing a four-year-contract. Primarily a deep-lying midfielder, the 6ft Catalan can also play in central defence and is renowned for his strength and his expansive passing ability. At the time of his arrival, Andre Villas-Boas said: 'It is a part of the squad in which we are struggling with numbers because of Michael Essien's injury and Oriol is a player with a bright future. He still has to evolve as a player. 'The Barcelona B team had a magnificent year in the Spanish second division, they finished third. Oriol had an injury during the season but he came back late on and was in time to play for the first team. So he is one of the most promising young players in that position.' Romeu made his debut as a late substitute in our 2-1 win at Sunderland in early September, and followed that up with 90 minutes against Fulham in the Carling Cup. Pre-ChelseaRomeu began with Barcelona's smaller neighbours Espanyol before joining the famous Camp Nou academy in 2004, progressing through the ranks until a reserve team regular playing in Spain's second tier under former Spain international Luis Enrique. Having overcome a knee injury during the season, he made his La Liga debut for the senior Barça side at the end of the 2010/11 campaign, coming on as a late substitute in a 0-0 draw against Deportivo La Coruna, having also appeared at the beginning of the campaign in a Spanish Supercup loss away at Sevilla. International career He was a runner-up with Spain in the European Championships at Under 19 level in 2010, beaten in the final by Gael Kakuta's France. Aged 19, he was part of the Spain team that was competing in the Under 20 World Cup squad in Colombia at the time the move was finalised. They reached the quarter-finals before losing on penalties to eventual champions Brazil. Oriol received an Under 21 call-up for the autumn internationals.
Season 2011 - 12
Chelsea careerRamires Santos do Nascimento joined Chelsea in the summer of 2010 on a four-year contract after one season with Benfica. A Chelsea debut arrived in a 2-0 win against Stoke in late August, Ramires appearing for the final few minutes in place of Michael Essien, before a first start at West Ham and full games against Blackpool in the Premier League and Newcastle in the Carling Cup. In total there were 22 starts in his first campaign, providing a committed presence during the side's winless two months between November and December, and winning a late penalty at White Hart Lane that gave us the chance to beat Spurs. A first Chelsea goal arrived in the 4-0 demolition of Bolton Wanderers in late January, and the mobbing he received showed how popular the player is at Stamford Bridge. In late March he scored his second Chelsea goal, dancing between two Manchester City defenders before firing high into the top corner. It was a strike deemed worthy of the club's Goal of the Season award by supporters. Ramires missed our pre-season tour of Asia due to Copa America duty, but returned to England in sparkling form, and has proven a key component of Andre Villas-Boas's new Chelsea, figuring as a regular on the right of a midfield three, and contributing greater drive going forward. Two early season goals against Swansea suggest it is going to be a bright campaign. Pre-ChelseaRamires spent one season with Benfica in which he helped them storm to the Liga Sagres title, five points clear of Braga in second place. During that campaign, the 23-year-old midfielder made 26 league appearances, scoring four times including a last-minute winner against Vitoria Guimaraes on his debut. Rio-born Ramires signed for Benfica from Cruzeiro, on the day he earned his first call-up to the full Brazil squad for the 2009 Confederations Cup, a tournament they easily won, and he went on to help them qualify for the World Cup. Comfortable in either the centre or the right of midfield, he spent just over two seasons in Belo Horizonte with Cruzeiro, whom he joined from Joinville in 2007, and became a state champion appearing in 61 league matches and scoring 10 times. International careerRamires made his Brazil debut in the summer of 2009 and was an ever-present as they lifted the Confederations Cup in South Africa. Picked in Dunga's 23-man squad for the World Cup a year later, he appeared in four of their five matches but was suspended for the 2-1 defeat to Holland in the quarter-finals after accumulating two yellow cards. His only start was against Chile in the first knockout round. He also represented his country at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Season 2011 - 12
Chelsea careerLeague title winning-goals, FA Cup and Champions League Final strikes, nerveless penalty taking, assists galore and record-breaking sequences of appearances, Frank Lampard has been both the man for the big occasion, and for the week-in, week-out dedication that is the bedrock of genuine achievement. He is without doubt one of the finest players ever to wear the Chelsea blue. After a quiet start at the Bridge, with just 15 goals in two years following an £11 million transfer from West Ham, Frank bloomed into one of Europe's finest. An early sign of what was to come was his commanding display against Arsenal's Patrick Vieira in an FA Cup Final defeat at the end of his first season, progress that was continued the following campaign. In 2003/04, the first season under Roman Abramovich's ownership and Frank's third at the club, he retained his place despite many new arrivals and his phenomenal form was only beaten by Thierry Henry when English football's individual awards were handed out. The top performances continued to come in 2004/05, as did the goals, Frank's powerful shooting firing Chelsea to the Premiership title that season as he top-scored from midfield with 13 in the League and 19 overall. There was no one more appropriate to score the two magical goals at Bolton that sealed the championship triumph. The Sportswriters' Footballer of the Year that year and runner-up in the European and World Player of the Year voting for 2005, Frank continued to prove as close to indispensable as can be found in modern football as his team duplicated the Premiership success in 2005/06. When in December 2005, he finally missed a game due to a virus infection, it brought to an end a new Premier League record of 164 consecutive appearances, since surpassed by goalkeeper Brad Friedel. In 2006/07, his 62 games was the highest total by any Chelsea player in a single campaign and although the next year was affected by two rare injuries and bereavement, Frank continued to drive Chelsea on from midfield game after game after game and made it to the now regular 20-goal mark. The injuries were unfortunate but genuine tragedy struck in April 2008 with the death of Frank's mother. His courage and nerve in scoring a vital Champions League semi-final penalty against Liverpool on his return from compassionate leave, followed by his dramatic equaliser in the Final, were among that season's strongest images. Since then Lamps has become Chelsea's top scoring midfield player ever; and is the player to win the most international caps while a Chelsea player. A five-year deal was signed in the summer of 2008, and he quickly got into goalscoring form, netting an audacious chip from the edge of the area at Hull in October that year, an automatic Chelsea Goal of the Season contender though eventually edged out by Michael Essien's Champions League volley against Barcelona. As the performances of those around him began to wane, Frank's form remained consistent under Luiz Felipe Scolari, scoring key goals over Christmas 2008 to keep the team in touch with the league leaders. The arrival of Guus Hiddink midway through the campaign brought extended freedom for Lampard, who repaid his coach with late goals in a league win over Wigan and a 4-4 Champions League thriller against Liverpool, before we eventually bowed out of Europe in controversial circumstances against Barcelona. There was however joy when his second-half strike won the 2009 FA Cup against Everton, his goal celebration a nod to that of his father's in an FA Cup semi-final 29 years earlier. With an incredible 27 goals from central midfield in 2009/10 and a sack-full of assists as Chelsea won the Double, it seemed Frank was improving with age, especially factoring in his resistance to injury and his ability to avoid a single yellow card in the whole of that season. His historic '09/'10 season began as it would end - at Wembley - where he contributed a Community Shield goal, helped set up another, and then buried a penalty in the successful shootout. The 31-year-old actually went 10 games without a goal before four in three arrived in October. After a penalty miss at Man City at the beginning of a difficult Christmas period, it was two successful penalties that dug the team out of trouble against Portsmouth and West Ham. He bounced back from Champions League disappointment against Inter Milan in the first knockout round by banging in four league goals against Aston Villa in a 7-1 rout. The feat, the second time he had achieved such a tally in a game, took him over the 150-goal mark for Chelsea and beyond Roy Bentley to become our third-highest scorer of all time. After converting another penalty against Villa at Wembley to book a place in the FA Cup Final, the focus shifted to league football for the next five games, and it was there where Frank really delivered. At Anfield there were major celebrations as he swept home Nicolas Anelka's centre to confirm crucial victory in the run-in. In the final league game Frank won and took a penalty to put Carlo Ancelotti's team two goals to the good as we ran riot against Wigan, setting up the Double should we beat Portsmouth in the FA Cup Final. It was a Drogba free-kick that broke the deadlock that Wembley May day, and even though Frank's final contribution was to drag a penalty wide at the death, he was there in the Royal Box to lift the trophy alongside John Terry. The 2010/11 season was a rare one in the Lampard collection in that it was afflicted with lengthy injury. Recovering from a routine hernia op, he suffered a tendon injury at the top of his leg in training which lengthened the absence to four months during which team form declined. He scored his second goal of the season in the first game of 2011 and still collected 13 goals by the end. On April 6th in a home Champions League game against Manchester United, he become only the fourth player to make 500 appearances for Chelsea. Pre-ChelseaIronically, Frank's ever-present habit was one of the reasons why he was under-appreciated by some at the club that nurtured him. With Frank's father the West Ham first team coach when the teenager broke into the first team there, sections of the support at Upton Park cried nepotism over the son's regular place in their side. He was ever-present in the Hammers team that finished fifth in '98/'99 and was capped for England the next season. However when manager Harry Redknapp and Frank senior were sacked in 2001, it was time for Frank to move on and although Leeds was a possible destination at the time, it was across London the player went as he sought a club where he could take his career to the next level. International goalAfter a debut against Belgium in 1999, Frank would have to wait until June 2003 to feature for a full 90 minutes in an England shirt, and he scored his first goal that August against Croatia. He was well worth his place in the Euro 2004 team and was voted the England team's Player of the Year after three goals in four tournament games, and he won the poll again in 2005. That made it all the more surprising when Frank failed to register on the score sheet in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, despite shooting more frequently than anyone. It drew outside criticism, his years of incredibly consistent achievement seemingly forgotten, but after a lean spell under Steve McClaren he returned to goalscoring form under Fabio Capello, and Frank's critics began to re-evaluate their opinions and he was finally being appreciated in an England shirt too. Unlike in 2006, Frank went into the 2010 World Cup in red-hot scoring form, even by his own extraordinary standards. However as Capello played with the jigsaw of England's midfield, Frank's goal threat again appeared diminished although he was one of the best players against Slovenia in the third group game, and was infamously denied his first World Cup goal by a ludicrous linesman's decision as England exited versus Germany. A hernia operation meant he sat out the beginning of England's Euro 2012 qualifying campaign but he returned in 2011 with goals and victories with the three lions on his chest. No Chelsea player has won more international caps while playing for the club.
Season 2011 - 12
Chelsea careerOn moving to Stamford Bridge, Fernando Torres became the first striker to wear the number 9 jersey since Hernan Crespo in the 2005/06 season, but took 14 games before he found the net, a joyously received effort on a sodden Stamford Bridge pitch against West Ham. It remained his only goal for the Blues that season but with a rare summer of recuperation following, hopes are high that 2011/12 will see the Fernando Torres that tormented Chelsea so much when he was wearing red. Form in the new campaign has been encouraging, an opening day display at Stoke lacked only a goal, which came at Old Trafford in a 3-1 defeat against Manchester United, but his afternoon will be remembered not for the instinctive flick over David De Gea's head but the missed open goal that followed in the closing stages. The Spaniard bounced back quickly to open the scoring against Swansea with a smart touch and finish though, and each game Fernando looks more and more dangerous. Pre-ChelseaAged 26 at the time of his move from Liverpool, he had netted 65 goals in 102 league appearances for the Reds and 81 in 142 games in all competitions. He originally moved to the Premier League aged 23 having spent the previous 12 years at Atletico Madrid, a club based a few miles from the town of his birth on the outskirts of the capital city. In his time at Atletico, 'El Nino' (The Kid - his nickname in Spain) was the club's youngest player and youngest captain. His debut came aged 17 and he took the armband two years later. His first full season there was a quiet start with just six goals from 36 league appearances, but that became 13 from 29 games the next year and the 20-goal mark was reached in 2003/04, Fernando's most prolific season in Spain and the year of his debut for the national side. The player's subsequent emergence on the international stage and 75 goals in 174 Spanish top-flight games meant many clubs across Europe were after his signature and he chose to work under compatriot Rafael Benitez at Liverpool. The transfer in July 2007 was valued at approximately £20 million, Luis Garcia going the other way, and Fernando's first goal for the Merseysiders was against Chelsea at Anfield, opening the scoring in a 1-1 draw after getting the better of Tal Ben-Haim. It was the first of seven goals in seven games against Chelsea. It is his best return against any English club. He scored three hat-tricks on the way to 33 goals in his first season in England, becoming the first Liverpool player since a previous wearer of the number 9 shirt, Robbie Fowler, to break the 30-goal mark in one season. His second season returned 17 goals (injury reducing his number of appearances) as his side finished second, three points and one place above Chelsea in the league table. In the 2009/10 season, despite Liverpool dropping down the table to seventh, Fernando accumulated a very healthy 22 goals in 32 games. Before joining the Blues midway through 2010/11, Fernando made 26 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 11 times including both goals in Chelsea's November defeat at Anfield. International career He headed to the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 already a winner of the European Championships at senior international level. In his teenage years, Fernando had achieved top-scorer status for his country in both the Under 16 and Under 19 European Championships and he scored his first goal for the senior side against Italy aged 20, seven months after his first cap. In the 2006 World Cup in Germany he scored three times in the group stage but Spain were beaten by France in the first knockout round. However there was no stopping his nation two years later at Euro 2008, Fernando scoring once on the way to the final and the only goal in that match in Vienna as Germany were defeated. It was Spain's first major piece of silverware since 1964. In South Africa, Fernando struggled for full fitness and form having undergone surgery in April. As a result, Barcelona's Pedro took his place for a semi-final triumph over Germany. Coach Vicente Del Bosque also left him out of the starting line-up for the final. Instead he came on in extra-time in the 1-0 win over Holland although he tore a muscle before the end. No longer an automatic starter, he remains an important squad member for the Spanish, who comfortably tied up their place in next summer's European Championships, to be played in Ukraine and Poland.
Season 2011 - 12
Chelsea career Mata became the third Spaniard to join Chelsea in 2011, following international team-mate and fellow World Cup-winner Fernando Torres and Oriol Romeu, who arrived from Barcelona earlier in August 2011. Primarily a left-winger, he can also operate down the middle and has outlined his desire to adapt quickly to English football. Yossi Benayoun's anticipated departure, eventually to Arsenal on loan, freed up his favoured number 10 jersey. He certainly looked at home on his debut, appearing as a substitute against Norwich City and slotting home the final goal in a 3-1 win on August 27, 2011. Pre-Chelsea Mata is the son of a former professional, Juan, who represented Burgos and Salamanca. Juan Jr began his career in Real Madrid's famed Academy as a striker, but was allowed to move to Valencia in the summer of 2007. In his first season he gradually played his way into the side, and appeared at Stamford Bridge as a substitute in a Champions League dead rubber. At the end of the season he scored in the Copa Del Rey final, and was voted the club's Young Player of the Year. After four years at the Mestalla, in which he scored 43 times in 179 appearances, Mata spoke with Andre Villas-Boas and was convinced Stamford Bridge was the place for him despite interest from other clubs. International Juan was a part of the Spain squad that won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, having made his debut in 2009. He made one appearance as a substitute during the tournament, replacing Fernando Torres. Upon signing for Chelsea he had 12 senior caps, but is also an experienced Under 21 international, and captained Spain to glory at the 2011 European Championships, being voted into the Team of the Tournament.
Season 2011 - 12
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| Name: | Didier Drogba |
| Nationality: | Ivorian |
| Date of Birth: | 11/03/1978 |
| Height: | 6' 2" (189cm) |
| Weight: | 14st 5lbs (91.0kg) |
| Previous | |
| Clubs: | Marseille, Guingamp |
| Position: | Striker |
Chelsea career
When Didier signed from Marseille in the summer of 2004 he was a big man with a growing reputation, Though a groin operation forced him out for two months midway through his first Chelsea season and it took time to reach full power again, he ended the league-winning campaign with 16 goals to his name in all competitions, including one in the victorious Carling Cup Final against Liverpool.
In 2005/06 his season's tally was again 16, 12 coming during the successful defence of the Premiership, but before that triumph, there was also adversity.
Following handball incidents in two games and accusations of diving in the media, it took character to respond with an awe-inspiring showing against West Ham at the Bridge in March 2006.
Chelsea came back from a goal and a man down to win that game 4-1, prompting then manager Jose Mourinho to say: 'Didier should go home, switch on the TV, listen to the pundits, buy every single paper tomorrow and listen and read to see if the same people who wanted to kill him have now the common sense to say what he deserves.'
The 2006/07 campaign was when it all came together for the Ivorian, whose pace, strength and aerial power had made him the type of forward not seen at Chelsea for some time. He netted 33 times in all competitions after moulding a strike partnership with newly-arrived Andriy Shevchenko.
His 20 goals in the league won him the Premier League's Golden Boot for the first time. His 60 games tally was the second highest appearances in a season in the club's history - and he ended the campaign with the first club goal at the new Wembley as Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 in stoppage time of the 2007 FA Cup Final.
There were high hopes that he could reach the heights again in 2007/08 but knee injuries and an African Nations Cup meant it was hard to put a run of games together, and he ended a disrupted season with 15 goals, including another at Wembley in the Carling Cup Final defeat to Spurs.
After his double at the Bridge against Liverpool in the semi-finals, the Champions League ended with shame as he was red-carded the Final in Moscow against Man United.
If there had been ups and downs in that campaign, 2008/09 would be even more extraordinary.
The arrival of Luiz Felipe Scolari into the manager's chair was greeted with excitement, but the Brazilian struggled to utilise the injury-affected Didier alongside the free-scoring Nicolas Anelka, eventually opting to go with the Frenchman alone.
Lacking match fitness, Didier found it hard to make an impact in the first half of that season, eventually doing so against Burnley in the Carling Cup, but after a fine individual goal, he reacted to coins thrown from the away end and was punished with a three-match ban that further hinder his involvement.
Scolari's dismissal and Guus Hiddink's arrival in mid-February sparked a return to form and the starting line-up for the Ivory Coast captain, and he repaid the Dutchman with a number of vital goals.
Controversy though was never far away. Eliminated from the Champions League in injury time of the semi-final against Barcelona, again he did not react well, confronting referee Tom Henning Ovrebo in front of the TV cameras. Another three-match ban followed, reduced on appeal from four.
Still there was one more twist to come, as he powered home a header in the FA Cup Final against Everton, levelling up Louis Saha's opener for his fourth goal in as many Wembley visits. Chelsea lifted the Cup once more.
From the moment his two-goal salvo turned a deficit into victory versus Hull on the opening day of the 2009/10 campaign, the signs were good that the player could pick up where he left off the previous season.
The early season formation adopted by the Dutchman's successor, Carlo Ancelotti, allowed Didier to play close to Anelka and he locked into an incredibly consistent run of scoring. By Christmas he had found the net 18 times in 21 games as he departed for the African Nations.
On his early return to club duty at Hull, he scored his third direct free-kick of the season before he went on the rampage against Arsenal with a brace - making it 12 goals in 12 games against the Gunners.
However as Champions League ambition faded once again, Didier was sent off near the end of defeat by Inter, maintaining what was almost becoming a traditional ban for the start of the next Euro campaign. It was his one red card of the season.
Back in the middle of a three-man attack for the league run-in, Didier netted a vital winner at Old Trafford that put Chelsea on top of the table and with our destiny in our own hands.
An historic 8-0 win against Wigan on the final day and a second-half hat-trick was a great way way to reclaim both the Premier League and the Golden Boot.
His winner in the 2010 FA Cup Final, a direct free-kick against Porstmouth meant the season had a pair of Ivorian bookends - a Didier goal at its start and at its finish.
Voted the club's Player of the Year by the fans, his 37 goals is the second best total in Chelsea history and included strikes at Anfield, the Emirates and Old Trafford.
Following hernia surgery that saw him miss most of pre-season, he began 2010/11 with a hat-trick against West Brom, followed by a hat-trick of assists at Wigan in the first away game. It looked like being another scary season for defences around Europe.
However illness struck in the autumn in the form of malaria. Didier battled on and was captain for a spell with Terry and Lampard both injured, but his power was down and Chelsea's flying start to the campaign gave way to an extended period of well-below-par results with important players missing. Coming on as a sub away to Spurs before Christmas, he scored to salvage a point but frustratingly missed out on a winner when his penalty was saved, a rare spot-kick failure indeed.
A stunning long-range strike away to Bolton in January 2011 was his last for 11 games as Fernando Torres came onto the scene and the right mix up front was sought by Ancelotti.
Didier was on the bench for a Champions League quarter-final second leg at Old Trafford and although he came on at half-time and scored, Chelsea went out. It was a sad way to mark his 300th appearance for the club.
Although 13 goals in all competitions and no medals in 2010/11 suggests an indifferent season by his standards, his combined league total of goals and assists was still the second highest by any top-flight player in that season. His 109 shots were the most attempts on goal.
Physically a match for any defender and able to score any type of goal, his ability to make and take chances as well as take on the opposition backline single-handed has marked Didier down as one of the world's very finest strikers for many seasons.
Pre-Chelsea
Didier was signed in the summer of 2004 from Marseille where he had been named France's Player of the Year. A reported fee of £24 million was paid.
The man who spearheaded Ivory Coast to a first World Cup Finals in 2006 moved from Africa to live in France as a young child and played his early junior football at right-back.
He dabbled with various small clubs and even turned down the chance of a trial at Paris St-Germain, preferring to learn his trade before moving onto the big stage.
He did so at second division Le Mans before shifting up a division to Guingamp, a club he had been prevented from joining some years earlier due to injury.
It was during this spell in Brittany that Didier first came to the attention of Jose Mourinho, then Porto's manager - but after scoring 17 goals in 2002/03 and becoming an international, he had moved out of the Portuguese club's price range.
Marseille swooped and they did not regret their move. In his second season at l'OM, he netted 18 times in 35 league games and six times as the 2004 Uefa Cup Final was reached, including braces against Liverpool and Newcastle.
In addition to his France Footballer of the Year award, Fifa recognised the achievements with a nomination for World Player of the Year. Mourinho made the player a top target in his first summer of transfer activity at Chelsea - and this time the price wasn't a problem.
International career
Didier made his Ivory Coast debut in 2002, and captained his country to their first ever World Cup appearance in 2006, where he scored in a narrow defeat by Argentina which was followed by an equally-close reverse against Holland.
There may have been a few choice words from the 32-year-old when Ivory Coast were drawn in the 'group of death' for the second World Cup running ahead of South Africa 2010.
Chelsea's all-time international goalscorer, having netted 43 times in 69 matches by that stage, suffered a broken arm in a pre-tournament warm-up game which left his participation in 2010's Finals in question leading up to the opening game. He came on as sub although his play looked restricted, but he did find the net during defeat to Brazil next match. Once again Ivory Coast left after three games. Didier was again the captain.
In the Africa Cup of Nations, Ivory Coast have struggled to live up to expectations. In Ghana in 2008 they were expected to challenge but eventually finished fourth, having lost the final on penalties to Egypt in 2006, Drogba missing his. In an incredible shoot-out in the quarter-final against Cameroon that eventually ended 12-11, Didier scored as the first of the original five takers and then later scored the decisive spot kick.
In 2010, they bowed out in extra-time of the quarter-finals as coach Vahid Halilhodzic lost his job, making way for Sven Goran Eriksson to coach the side in South Africa after Guus Hiddink had turned the post down.
Didier's exploits for club and country won his Africa's Player of the Year in 2006 and 2009. For Ivory Coast, he is simply their biggest star.
Season 2011 - 12
| Competition | Apps (as sub) | Goals | Yellow Cards | Red Cards |
| League | 6 (3) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Euro Cups | 1 (0) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Career History: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Season | Comp. | Apps (as sub) | Goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chelsea | 2010 - 11 | League | 30 (6) | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FA Cup | 2 (0) | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Euro Cups | 5 (2) | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chelsea | 2009 - 10 | League | 31 (1) | 29 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FA Cup | 4 (0) | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League Cup | 0 (2) | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Euro Cups | 5 (0) | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chelsea | 2008 - 09 | League | 15 (9) | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FA Cup | 5 (1) | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League Cup | 2 (0) | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Euro Cups | 7 (3) | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chelsea | 2007 - 08 | League | 17 (2) | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FA Cup | 0 (1) | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League Cup | 1 (0) | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Euro Cups | 11 (0) | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chelsea | 2006 - 07 | League | 32 (4) | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FA Cup | 6 (0) | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League Cup | 3 (2) | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Euro Cups | 12 (0) | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chelsea | 2005 - 06 | League | 20 (9) | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FA Cup | 3 (0) | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League Cup | 0 (1) | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Euro Cups | 5 (2) | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chelsea | 2004 - 05 | League | 18 (8) | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FA Cup | 1 (1) | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League Cup | 3 (1) | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Euro Cups | 8 (1) | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Marseille | 2003 - 04 | League | 30 (5) | 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Euro Cups | 14 (2) | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Guingamp | 2002 - 03 | League | 26 (8) | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chelsea careerFollowing quickly on from the purchase of Salomon Kalou in the summer of 2006, the arrival of John Mikel Obi confirmed Chelsea's determination to add exciting young talent as well as established stars to a squad that had just won back-to-back league titles. Having smoothed out some rough edges both on and off the pitch, manager Jose Mourinho increasingly used Mikel's talent in the holding midfield role, especially when requiring a longer range of passing than other options including the feted Claude Makelele. As a junior Mikel had played more as an attacking midfielder. Named Chelsea Young Player of the Year, he survived an injury scare the week before the 2007 FA Cup Final to play the whole game. Chelsea beat Manchester United in the first final at the new Wembley. The 2007/08 campaign saw Mikel continue to grow in the 'Makelele' role, and by the end of it he had played more games than the old master of the position. There were hitches. An unfortunate sending off at Old Trafford in Avram Grant's first game was followed by another red card in a Carling Cup semi-final against Everton, his fourth since joining Chelsea. He started the 2008 Carling Cup Final defeat by Spurs shortly after his return from the Africa Cup of Nations but then spent a spell out of the side before ending his second season with responsibility in some important games, including a home win over Manchester United when he was outstanding, although he remained on the bench for the Champions League Final against the same opposition. Top displays became more commonplace in the 2008/09 season when, with Michael Essien injured for much of the campaign, Mikel became the permanent anchor man - his calm touch a major contribution to the 2009 FA Cup win over Everton. One item that has remained lacking from the midfielder's game is goals, much like his former mentor Makelele. Two in his first season, both FA Cup goals in the January of 2007 against lower league opposition, have not been added to since, though as he says, there are plenty of others in the midfield who can contribute goals, allowing him to concentrate on stopping them. Further injury to Essien in 2009/10 ensured that for the second season running Mikel was the primary choice as deep-lying midfielder. On his return from the Africa Cup of Nations in February he started every game until his own knee and ankle problems in mid-April ruled him out of the season's two-trophy climax, and the first African World Cup Finals. He did however have his first league championship winners' medal. Mikel's own on-pitch discipline problems are long behind him. He was only booked four times in a Double-winning campaign spent in a highly-competitive area of the pitch. Carlo Ancelotti revealed he was a similar player in a similar position in his youth but was able to use Essien more in 2010/11 and Mikel spent a period out the side, due to injury and when a 4-4-2 formation was adopted for a period. Mikel did however pass the 200-game milestone for Chelsea during the season and started all but 10 league games. Pre-Chelsea Mikel became a squad addition the summer after Chelsea had secured a second straight league title. An agreement had been reached with Manchester United and Norwegian club Lyn Oslo that allowed Chelsea to sign the then 19-year-old Nigerian midfielder for a combined £16 million. A powerfully-built young man with exceptional ball skills, his standing as one of the brightest young talents in the game had been confirmed at the African Cup of Nations earlier that year, his senior international debut having come in August 2005. Previously Mikel had starred in the 2005 Fifa Under 20 World Youth Championships where he was voted the tournament's second best player as Nigeria made the final. The player trained with Chelsea for one week in the winter of 2004 and José Mourinho had seen enough to wish to sign him. The then manager said: 'Everybody was in love, not just me. The players were amazed at a young boy coming and training with us with such quality. 'Later we saw him in the African Cup of Nations playing like a giant. He was at an unbelievable level and we know what a player he can be.' InternationalMikel made his debut for Nigeria in 2005, the then 18 year-old coming on as a second half substitute in a 1-0 friendly win over Libya. His next appearance for the Nigerian side came against Zimbabwe in the second group game of the 2006 African Nations Cup. Having started the match as a substitute, he made an immediate impression upon coming on, grabbing a goal and assist within 10 minutes. This earned him a first competitive start against Senegal in the final group game, a match which was won 2-1. His fortunes took a turn for the worse over the next two years, getting suspended for not turning up to an international but then securing a place in Nigeria's 2008 African Nations Cup squad after bridges were rebuilt. Nigeria were a surprise package, eventually losing to an Essien-less Ghana in the semi-finals. For Mikel there was an unfamiliar role of playmaker just behind the Nigeria strikers and he was their outstanding performer, scoring a goal and making an assist in one game. Injury ruled him out of the 2010 World Cup.
Season 2011 - 12
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