| Name: | Ramires |
| Nationality: | Brazilian |
| Date of Birth: | 24/03/1987 |
| Height: | 5' 11" (180cm) |
| Weight: | 11st 7lbs (73.0kg) |
| Previous | |
| Clubs: | Benfica |
| Position: | Midfielder |
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 suggested a bright campaign ahead.
The Brazilian remained an important part of the midfield throughout the autumn and winter, before a medial ligament injury to his right knee in the FA Cup win at QPR threatened to keep him out for a month.
However, he only missed three games before returning and has played consistently since. His goalscoring has tended to come in spurts, with two four-in-six purple patches, including the second in our crucial 3-0 win over Valencia in early December.
Under
Roberto Di Matteo, he has tended to feature as the right winger in a front three, providing more energy and defensive support down that flank, and he made a massive impact as the season drew to a close, developing a reputation as a big-game player.
Ramires scored the crucial third goal at Wembley as we beat Tottenham 5-1 in the FA Cup semi-final, before netting a sublime chip in the Camp Nou during our 2-2 draw in the Champions League semi-final, a game which also saw him pick up a booking which ruled him out of the Final.
It was Wembley joy for the likeable Brazilian once again when he opened the scoring in the FA Cup Final, racing on to a Juan Mata pass before driving past Pepe Reina, and while he plyed no part in our Champions League Final success, he had undoubtedly done as much as anybody to bask in the victory.
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.
| League | 28 (2) | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| FA Cup | 6 (0) | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| League Cup | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Euro Cups | 10 (0) | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| |
| Career History: |
| Chelsea | 2010 - 11 | League | 22 (7) | 2 |
| | | FA Cup | 3 (0) | 0 |
| | | League Cup | 1 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 7 (1) | 0 |
| Benfica | 2009 - 10 | League | 23 (3) | 4 |
| | | League Cup | 0 (1) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 9 (0) | 0 |
| |
| Name: | Frank Lampard |
| Nationality: | English |
| Date of Birth: | 20/06/1978 |
| Height: | 6' 0" (184cm) |
| Weight: | 13st 12lbs (88.0kg) |
| Previous | |
| Clubs: | West Ham Utd, Swansea City (loan) |
| Position: | Midfielder |
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.
This season has also featured the sideshow of Lampard slowly but surely edging towards
Bobby Tambling's all-time club goalscoring record. It was a vintage Lampard performance at the Reebok, a very happy hunting ground for him and Chelsea, in early October as the midfielder hit a hat-trick and, despite turning a forthcoming 34th birthday in June, he is set to make 50 appearances once more this campaign.
He hit three goals on the spin at the start of 2012 and netted a crucial late penalty against Napoli to level the tie on aggregate, his 14th of the season.
As the season drew to a close, Lampard's ability and experience, as so often in the past, rose to the fore. He scored a sublime free-kick in the 5-1 FA Cup semi-final win against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley, as well as teeing up Didier Drogba for what proved to be the winning goal in the Final of the same competition.
He finished the season by skippering the side for the Champions League Final in Munich in John Terry's absence, and capped a wonderful display by lifting the trophy alongside the suspended captain after scoring our third penalty in the shoot-out.
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.
Frank took the captain's armband for England's friendly against Spain in November, scoring the only goal of the game.
Sadly for him, however, after being named in Roy Hodgson's final squad for the tournament, he picked up a hamstring injury shortly after joining up with his teammates and was ruled out of the tournament.
| League | 26 (4) | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| FA Cup | 3 (2) | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| League Cup | 1 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Euro Cups | 8 (4) | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| |
|
|
| |
| Name: | Fernando Torres |
| Nationality: | Spanish |
| Date of Birth: | 20/03/1984 |
| Height: | 6' 0" (183cm) |
| Weight: | 11st 0lbs (70.0kg) |
| Previous | |
| Clubs: | Liverpool, Atletico Madr |
| Position: | Striker |
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, but he was then sent off, forcing him to miss three domestic games. In Europe though, he then netted twice in the 5-0 Champions League victory over Genk before enduring a frustrating spell in front of goal throughout the autumn and winter period.
His effort and general play in creating for team mates ensured the supporters continued to stick with him though, and recent positive performances have been rewarded, with three goals in a fortnight at the end of March and a crucial assist for Salomon Kalou in Lisbon against Benfica.
The most memorable moment of his season was undoubtedly scoring the equalising goal in the Camp Nou as we came from behind to draw 2-2, securing our place in the Champions League Final, while a hat-trick against Queens Park Rangers seemed to suggest that the Spaniard is slowly recapturing the kind of form which made us secure his services initially.
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.
Torres was selected as part of the squad for the tournament and scored his first international goal in a warm-up match against South Korea.
| League | 20 (12) | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| FA Cup | 5 (1) | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| League Cup | 1 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Euro Cups | 6 (4) | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| |
| Career History: |
| Chelsea | 2010 - 11 | League | 8 (6) | 1 |
| | | Euro Cups | 3 (1) | 0 |
| Liverpool | 2010 - 11 | League | 22 (1) | 9 |
| | | FA Cup | 1 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Liverpool | 2009 - 10 | League | 20 (2) | 18 |
| | | FA Cup | 2 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 7 (1) | 4 |
| Liverpool | 2008 - 09 | League | 20 (4) | 14 |
| | | FA Cup | 2 (1) | 1 |
| | | League Cup | 1 (1) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 9 (0) | 2 |
| Liverpool | 2007 - 08 | League | 29 (4) | 24 |
| | | FA Cup | 1 (0) | 0 |
| | | League Cup | 1 (0) | 3 |
| | | Euro Cups | 10 (1) | 6 |
| Atletico Madr | 2006 - 07 | League | 36 (0) | 14 |
| | | FA Cup | 2 (0) | 1 |
| Atletico Madr | 2005 - 06 | League | 36 (0) | 13 |
| Atletico Madr | 2004 - 05 | League | 36 (0) | 16 |
| | | FA Cup | 2 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 2 (0) | 2 |
| Atletico Madr | 2003 - 04 | League | 35 (0) | 19 |
| Atletico Madr | 2002 - 03 | League | 28 (1) | 13 |
| |
|
| |
| Name: | Juan Mata |
| Nationality: | Spanish |
| Date of Birth: | 28/04/1988 |
| Height: | 5' 7" (170cm) |
| Weight: | 9st 8lbs (61.0kg) |
| Previous | |
| Clubs: | Valencia |
| Position: | Striker |
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 in late August.
That positive performance has been consistently replicated throughout his first season in English football, with 11 goals notched up by the end of March, including a crucial away goal in Naples, a winning penalty against QPR in the FA Cup and a stunning volley against Manchester United in early February.
The mercurial Mata has certainly made himself a fans' favourite, and a recent switch to a more central role in between the main striker has allowed him greater licence to roam and create from a central position. His importance is evident by the fact he has missed just one game since December, remaining a constant in the team under both Andre Villas-Boas and
Roberto Di Matteo.
He starred in the FA Cup Final against Liverpool, laying on the opening goal for Ramires, and while he missed our first penalty in the Champions League Final shoot-out, he ended his first season in England with two medals and a club Player of the Year award.
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.
He was selected as part of Spain's squad for the European Championships.
| League | 29 (5) | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| FA Cup | 7 (0) | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| League Cup | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Euro Cups | 11 (1) | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| |
| Career History: |
| Valencia | 2010 - 11 | League | 31 (2) | 8 |
| | | FA Cup | 1 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 5 (2) | 1 |
| Valencia | 2009 - 10 | League | 30 (5) | 9 |
| | | FA Cup | 1 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 10 (2) | 5 |
| Valencia | 2008 - 09 | League | 35 (2) | 11 |
| | | FA Cup | 1 (1) | 1 |
| | | Euro Cups | 3 (3) | 1 |
| Valencia | 2007 - 08 | League | 17 (7) | 5 |
| | | FA Cup | 6 (1) | 4 |
| | | Euro Cups | 0 (1) | 0 |
| |
Name: |
Mikel |
| Nationality: | Nigerian |
| Date of Birth: | 22/04/1987 |
| Height: | 6' 2" (188cm) |
| Weight: | 13st 8lbs (86.0kg) |
| Previous | |
| Clubs: | Lyn Oslo |
| Position: | Midfielder |
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.
The Nigerian began the new campaign in Andre Villas-Boas's new-look midfield, starting four of the opening five games, and remained a regular before a thigh injury around Christmas meant he didn't feature for the Blues for almost two months.
Since then however, he has re-emerged as a regular in midfield, starting six of our nine games in a busy March and impressing under
Roberto Di Matteo with a more attacking outlook, playing more forward passes and dominating from his deep position.
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.
| League | 15 (7) | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| FA Cup | 5 (0) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| League Cup | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Euro Cups | 7 (2) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| |
| Career History: |
| Chelsea | 2010 - 11 | League | 28 (0) | 0 |
| | | FA Cup | 1 (1) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 5 (1) | 0 |
| Chelsea | 2009 - 10 | League | 21 (4) | 0 |
| | | FA Cup | 3 (0) | 0 |
| | | League Cup | 2 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 4 (0) | 0 |
| Chelsea | 2008 - 09 | League | 33 (1) | 0 |
| | | FA Cup | 5 (0) | 0 |
| | | League Cup | 0 (1) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 9 (0) | 0 |
| Chelsea | 2007 - 08 | League | 21 (8) | 0 |
| | | FA Cup | 2 (0) | 0 |
| | | League Cup | 3 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 1 (3) | 0 |
| Chelsea | 2006 - 07 | League | 10 (12) | 0 |
| | | FA Cup | 5 (1) | 2 |
| | | League Cup | 3 (1) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 6 (3) | 0 |
| Lyn Oslo | 2005 - 06 | League | 2 (0) | 0 |
| Lyn Oslo | 2004 - 05 | League | 4 (0) | 1 |
| |
Chelsea careerSigned on a three-year contract in the summer of 2007, an undisclosed fee was paid to Lyon for the then 27-year-old French international winger who was one of Jose Mourinho's final purchases for the club.
The first year started brightly with an excellently-taken Community Shield goal at Wembley and another strike in the first league game. He won a controversially-awarded penalty for an important point at Anfield and opened his Champions League account at home to Schalke.
However a two-month absence in midwinter due to a persistent knee injury took its toll on Florent's form, although he did hit one of the passes of the season for
Joe Cole's winner at Goodison Park in the Carling Cup semi-final.
Following a grim FA Cup exit at Barnsley there was a month in the wilderness but Avram Grant issued a recall for the Champions League quarter-finals, the then manager frequently choosing the more cautious Malouda rather than
Salomon Kalou in European away games. The policy was retained in the Final in Moscow where Florent played the first 92 minutes.
He completed his first Chelsea campaign with four goals from 29 starts and nine sub appearances, before Luiz Felipe Scolari arrived in the summer of 2008 announcing he wanted to see the same Malouda at Chelsea he had seen at Lyon, with direct running and a stronger eye for goal.
The winger responded with a run of four goals in 10 games before an injury setback at the end of November kept him out until Boxing Day. With his natural left-footedness, Malouda provided balance and width to an emerging three-pronged attack with his friend from earlier playing days in France,
Didier Drogba, and
Nicolas Anelka.
Under Guus Hiddink, Malouda started to show a consistency to his game that had been missing. Assists, running and goals began to become regular facets as he played a key role in FA Cup semi-final success over Arsenal, while in the Champions League semi-final he denied Lionel Messi the space he needed in the Camp Nou to hurt the Blues in
Ashley Cole's absence. Unfortunately Chelsea lost out in the second leg in controversial fashion.
Back at Wembley it was Florent's cross that set up Drogba's equaliser in the 2009 FA Cup Final against Everton and he and
Ashley Cole spent the first half tormenting Tony Hibbert to the degree that the right-back was taken off at the interval. Florent was denied his own Wembley goal on a victorious day when a tremendous drive cannoned back off the crossbar.
He continued to go from strength to strength in 2009/10, building on his solid finish to the previous campaign.
The Frenchman made
Carlo Ancelotti's early selections and by the end of the season he had cemented his place in the starting line-up. He was instrumental in a number of historic wins and netted 15 goals throughout an industrious campaign.
That was an important measurement of his abilities but just as vital were the assists. Malouda helped set up 12 of Chelsea's League goals, including his cross which
Joe Cole back-heeled over the line against Manchester United as we beat out title rivals 2-1 at Old Trafford.
He was a versatile member of the team, playing as a midfielder rather than a wide man in a 4-3-3 towards the season's end and he even moved back into the left-back position away against Inter Milan when both
Ashley Cole and
Yury Zhirkov were unavailable.
He ended the 2009/10 season with another FA Cup Final appearance and a winners' medal to add the Premier League one handed out a week earlier. He was Chelsea Players' Player of the Year.
Both his and the team's form were carried over to the commencement of 2010/11 and a couple of months in, Florent was the Premier League's top scorer. However as important players were lost to injury and illness, and results declined as winter set in, his form suffered too and he scored just one league goal in three months.
Although the season ultimately ended trophyless, Florent rediscovered his influence towards to the end and finished the team's league top scorer with a career-best 13 goals and a good total of assists too.
The 2011-12 season has seen the Frenchman still very much involved in first-team affairs, with over 30 appearances, although perhaps more frustrating is his limited league starts this campaign. He started the season very much involved in Andre Villas-Boas's side, scoring a late winner in our first home match against West Brom, although that remains the sole Chelsea strike in 2011-12 for last season's top league goalscorer.
Pre-Chelsea Lyon was Florent's third club. He began his career in Paris with lower league Châteauroux where he played two seasons before moving up the ladder to Guingamp.
In Brittany he teamed up with
Didier Drogba and his impressive form over three seasons attracted the attention of Lyon.
Arriving at his new club the same season as
Michael Essien, the two shared in championship success, Florent staying at the Stade Gerland long enough to win a hat-trick of league titles while starring in Champions League displays.
InternationalFlorent quickly became a regular for France after making his debut against Poland in November 2004. He was a prominent member of the French team that reached the final of the 2006 World Cup, winning the penalty that Zinedine Zidane converted to open the scoring in a match that they would eventually lose on penalties.
He remained a fixture in and around the French XI, and was a key part of the Euro 2008 qualification campaign although, similar to many of his compatriots, he endured a disappointing tournament, losing his place for the final group game as the team ended bottom.
He netted the only goal in France's dismal 2010 World Cup campaign, pulling a goal back against South Africa to make it 1-2. In September 2010 he stood in as captain against Belarus due to Patrice Evra's five-game suspension that came out of summer tournament.
| League | 11 (15) | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| FA Cup | 2 (3) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| League Cup | 3 (0) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Euro Cups | 5 (4) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| |
| Name: | Florent Malouda |
| Nationality: | French |
| Date of Birth: | 13/06/1980 |
| Height: | 5' 11" (181cm) |
| Weight: | 11st 7lbs (73.0kg) |
| Previous | |
| Clubs: | Lyon, Guingamp |
| Position: | Midfielder |
Chelsea careerSigned on a three-year contract in the summer of 2007, an undisclosed fee was paid to Lyon for the then 27-year-old French international winger who was one of Jose Mourinho's final purchases for the club.
The first year started brightly with an excellently-taken Community Shield goal at Wembley and another strike in the first league game. He won a controversially-awarded penalty for an important point at Anfield and opened his Champions League account at home to Schalke.
However a two-month absence in midwinter due to a persistent knee injury took its toll on Florent's form, although he did hit one of the passes of the season for Joe Cole's winner at Goodison Park in the Carling Cup semi-final.
Following a grim FA Cup exit at Barnsley there was a month in the wilderness but Avram Grant issued a recall for the Champions League quarter-finals, the then manager frequently choosing the more cautious Malouda rather than Salomon Kalou in European away games. The policy was retained in the Final in Moscow where Florent played the first 92 minutes.
He completed his first Chelsea campaign with four goals from 29 starts and nine sub appearances, before Luiz Felipe Scolari arrived in the summer of 2008 announcing he wanted to see the same Malouda at Chelsea he had seen at Lyon, with direct running and a stronger eye for goal.
The winger responded with a run of four goals in 10 games before an injury setback at the end of November kept him out until Boxing Day. With his natural left-footedness, Malouda provided balance and width to an emerging three-pronged attack with his friend from earlier playing days in France, Didier Drogba, and Nicolas Anelka.
Under Guus Hiddink, Malouda started to show a consistency to his game that had been missing. Assists, running and goals began to become regular facets as he played a key role in FA Cup semi-final success over Arsenal, while in the Champions League semi-final he denied Lionel Messi the space he needed in the Camp Nou to hurt the Blues in Ashley Cole's absence. Unfortunately Chelsea lost out in the second leg in controversial fashion.
Back at Wembley it was Florent's cross that set up Drogba's equaliser in the 2009 FA Cup Final against Everton and he and Ashley Cole spent the first half tormenting Tony Hibbert to the degree that the right-back was taken off at the interval. Florent was denied his own Wembley goal on a victorious day when a tremendous drive cannoned back off the crossbar.
He continued to go from strength to strength in 2009/10, building on his solid finish to the previous campaign.
The Frenchman made Carlo Ancelotti's early selections and by the end of the season he had cemented his place in the starting line-up. He was instrumental in a number of historic wins and netted 15 goals throughout an industrious campaign.
That was an important measurement of his abilities but just as vital were the assists. Malouda helped set up 12 of Chelsea's League goals, including his cross which Joe Cole back-heeled over the line against Manchester United as we beat out title rivals 2-1 at Old Trafford.
He was a versatile member of the team, playing as a midfielder rather than a wide man in a 4-3-3 towards the season's end and he even moved back into the left-back position away against Inter Milan when both Ashley Cole and Yury Zhirkov were unavailable.
He ended the 2009/10 season with another FA Cup Final appearance and a winners' medal to add the Premier League one handed out a week earlier. He was Chelsea Players' Player of the Year.
Both his and the team's form were carried over to the commencement of 2010/11 and a couple of months in, Florent was the Premier League's top scorer. However as important players were lost to injury and illness, and results declined as winter set in, his form suffered too and he scored just one league goal in three months.
Although the season ultimately ended trophyless, Florent rediscovered his influence towards to the end and finished the team's league top scorer with a career-best 13 goals and a good total of assists too.
The 2011-12 season has seen the Frenchman still very much involved in first-team affairs, with over 30 appearances, although perhaps more frustrating is his limited league starts this campaign. He started the season very much involved in Andre Villas-Boas's side, scoring a late winner in our first home match against West Brom, although that remains the sole Chelsea strike in 2011-12 for last season's top league goalscorer.
Pre-Chelsea Lyon was Florent's third club. He began his career in Paris with lower league Châteauroux where he played two seasons before moving up the ladder to Guingamp.
In Brittany he teamed up with Didier Drogba and his impressive form over three seasons attracted the attention of Lyon.
Arriving at his new club the same season as Michael Essien, the two shared in championship success, Florent staying at the Stade Gerland long enough to win a hat-trick of league titles while starring in Champions League displays.
InternationalFlorent quickly became a regular for France after making his debut against Poland in November 2004. He was a prominent member of the French team that reached the final of the 2006 World Cup, winning the penalty that Zinedine Zidane converted to open the scoring in a match that they would eventually lose on penalties.
He remained a fixture in and around the French XI, and was a key part of the Euro 2008 qualification campaign although, similar to many of his compatriots, he endured a disappointing tournament, losing his place for the final group game as the team ended bottom.
He netted the only goal in France's dismal 2010 World Cup campaign, pulling a goal back against South Africa to make it 1-2. In September 2010 he stood in as captain against Belarus due to Patrice Evra's five-game suspension that came out of summer tournament.
| League | 11 (15) | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| FA Cup | 2 (3) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| League Cup | 3 (0) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Euro Cups | 5 (4) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| |
| Career History: |
| Chelsea | 2010 - 11 | League | 33 (5) | 13 |
| | | FA Cup | 2 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 7 (2) | 1 |
| Chelsea | 2009 - 10 | League | 26 (7) | 12 |
| | | FA Cup | 4 (2) | 2 |
| | | League Cup | 3 (0) | 1 |
| | | Euro Cups | 7 (1) | 0 |
| Chelsea | 2008 - 09 | League | 24 (7) | 6 |
| | | FA Cup | 4 (0) | 1 |
| | | League Cup | 2 (0) | 1 |
| | | Euro Cups | 9 (1) | 1 |
| Chelsea | 2007 - 08 | League | 16 (5) | 2 |
| | | FA Cup | 2 (0) | 0 |
| | | League Cup | 2 (1) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 8 (3) | 1 |
| Lyon | 2006 - 07 | League | 27 (8) | 10 |
| | | Euro Cups | 7 (0) | 3 |
| Lyon | 2005 - 06 | League | 24 (6) | 6 |
| | | Euro Cups | 9 (0) | 0 |
| Lyon | 2004 - 05 | League | 31 (3) | 5 |
| | | Euro Cups | 9 (1) | 3 |
| Lyon | 2003 - 04 | League | 31 (4) | 4 |
| | | Euro Cups | 7 (3) | 0 |
| Guingamp | 2002 - 03 | League | 36 (1) | 10 |
| Guingamp | 2001 - 02 | League | 32 (0) | 4 |
| Guingamp | 2000 - 01 | League | 16 (7) | 1 |
| Chateauroux | 1999 - 00 | League | 28 (0) | 2 |
| Name: | Raul Meireles |
| Nationality: | Portuguese |
| Date of Birth: | 17/03/1983 |
| Height: | 5' 10" (179cm) |
| Weight: | 10st 3lbs (65.0kg) |
| Previous | |
| Clubs: | Liverpool, Porto, Boavista |
| Position: | Midfielder |
Chelsea careerChelsea completed the signing of Raul José Trindade Meireles from Liverpool on a four-year contract on transfer deadline day in August 2011.
He made his debut in the holding midfield role away at Sunderland on September 10, and impressed with his range of passing, creating Daniel Sturridge's goal with a rangy through ball.
Raul has since been deployed as a more conventional midfielder, and will be looking to establish himself as a first-choice pick over the coming months.
The Portuguese international netted his first Chelsea goal in mid-October, the opener in the 5-0 Champions League victory over Genk, and has been a regular under both Andre Villas-Boas and Roberto di Matteo, set to play over 50 games in his debut campaign in west London. The midfielder featured in every game from the start of December to mid-February, also netting a crucial equaliser in the 2-1 home win over Manchester City in December and scoring twice in our run to the FA Cup's later stages.
Pre-ChelseaThe midfielder, 28, arrived at Stamford Bridge after just over a season at Anfield in which he made 44 appearances for Liverpool.
Born in Aves, Portugal, the highly-rated international began his career with his hometown club before a move to top-flight Boavista, where he spent one season before moving to Porto in 2004.
It was at the Estadio do Dragao that he flourished and helped Porto to a domestic treble in 2005/06. He scored against Chelsea in the Champions League knockout rounds a year later.
Two more league titles followed in 2008 and 2009 before new manager Andre Villas-Boas agreed to sell him to the Reds after six years as a Porto player.
After a low-key start in English football, Meireles came to life in January 2011, scoring five times in six games, including a winner at Stamford Bridge.
The 5ft 10in midfielder appeared twice from the bench for Kenny Dalglish's side this season before completing his move to Stamford Bridge on transfer deadline day.
International careerMeireles established himself in the national side, playing under Luiz Felipe Scolari in the lead-up to Euro 2008, where he scored his first international goal.
He played every game in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, and then scored in South Africa during the 7-0 beating of North Korea to catch Liverpool's eye.
A regular in qualifying for Euro 2012, he recently won his 50th cap.
| League | 23 (5) | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| FA Cup | 5 (1) | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Euro Cups | 9 (2) | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| |
| Liverpool |
| League | 0 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| League Cup | 1 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Name: | Jose Bosingwa |
| Nationality: | Portuguese |
| Date of Birth: | 24/08/1982 |
| Height: | 6' 0" (183cm) |
| Weight: | 11st 11lbs (75.0kg) |
| Previous | |
| Clubs: | Porto, Boavista |
| Position: | Defender |
Chelsea CareerJose Bosingwa brought with him pace, energy and guile to the right-back spot after arriving from Porto in the summer of 2008.
The Portuguese international's first campaign in England was characterised by his ability to get forward and cause problems in the opposition's half, scoring two superb goals away against Stoke and West Brom.
He didn't just attack though, his speed was equally useful in defensive situations where he demonstrated an ability to cover for team-mates, while he rarely gave the ball away.
Beginning his new life in England under former national team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, he was first choice on the right of defence, also proving capable of filling in at left-back, as he did so admirably while marking Lionel Messi in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona in 2009, restricting the normally unstoppable Argentinian to a bit-part role in the game.
By that stage Scolari had been replaced by Guus Hiddink and Jose was in the team for the high point of the Dutchman's tenure, the 2009 FA Cup win over Everton. He played 48 games that season, including 34 out of the 38 league games.
However Jose's second season, 2009/10, ended in the October with a knee injury worse than initially feared.
Only a sub as we won the Community Shield at Wembley in August 2009, his introduction at half-time sparked a comeback and penalty shootout victory.
He was in the starting 11 against Hull for the league opener but was suspended for two European games due to comments made about referee Tom Henning Ovrebo following the infamous home game against Barcelona the season before.
Jose limped off midway through a match against Aston Villa with his knee complaint and although Carlo Ancelotti hoped to have his man back within days, surgery was required in November 2009.
When a full return was still not possible in March, the decision was taken for another operation that would rule him out of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. His eight league appearances that season were not enough for a league winners' medal.
His return came a year after the injury and against the same opposition, Aston Villa, and with
Branislav Ivanovic required for centre-back duty with Alex injured for the mid part of the 2010/11 season, Jose again saw regular action at right-back. Although he scored an unfortunate own-goal decider at Wolves in the second game of January, he started all but four games in the first three months of the new year.
However following a Champions League quarter-final home defeat by Manchester United in the April when there were questions raised about his defending for the goal, he did not start again under Ancelotti with a knee injury ending the season a few weeks early.
The 2011-12 campaign began with Jose firmly part of Andre Villas-Boas's plans, starting 14 of the opening 16 games of the season and scoring a cracker against Norwich City at the end of August. However, there have been low points also for the defender, not least in the 1-0 league defeat to QPR at Loftus Road, where he was harshly sent off after 10 minutes for a professional foul.
He has continued to be a useful squad member though, despite a few injury problems disrupting his momentum throughout 2012, and he has been a regular through the absence of
John Terry, with
Branislav Ivanovic frequently filling in at centre-back, a position Jose himself filled expertly in a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane in December, despite no previous experience there.
Pre-ChelseaJose agreed terms with Chelsea prior to Euro 2008, agreeing a three-year deal to sign from Porto, where he had spent the previous five seasons since signing from Boavista in 2003.
While with Porto, he was a team-mate of our own
Paulo Ferreira as well as former Blues Carvalho and Maniche, and established himself as first-choice right-back upon Ferreira's switch to
Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2004.
Used just 13 times in his first season by José Mourinho, Bosingwa became a regular during 2004/05, eventually playing over 100 times.
He played twice against Chelsea, at
Stamford Bridge in September 2004 in our 3-1 group stage win over the reigning European champions (he was an unused sub for the away fixture) and in the first leg of 2006/07's first knockout round, a 1-1 draw in Porto.
The player's consistency for his club allowed him to break into the Portugal squad, where he became the regular right-back when fit.
Born in Mbandaka, Democratic Republic of Congo, the same birthplace as Claude Makelele,
José Bosingwa da Silva moved to Portugal at an early age and was recruited by Boavista where he developed his all-round game - solid at the back, energetic down the flanks and incisive in attack.
InternationalA former Portugal Under 21 international, Jose made his debut for the full national side in May 2007, and was first choice at right-back at Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland shortly after his transfer to Chelsea was finalised. Under his soon-to-be club manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, Jose and Portugal made it through to the quarter-finals where they were beaten by the Germans, Michael Ballack scoring the winner. Jose was named in the team of the tournament.
He also represented his nation at the 2004 Olympics but injury cost him participation in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
| League | 24 (3) | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| FA Cup | 4 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| League Cup | 1 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Euro Cups | 7 (4) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| |
| Career History: |
| Chelsea | 2010 - 11 | League | 13 (7) | 0 |
| | | FA Cup | 2 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 4 (0) | 0 |
| Chelsea | 2009 - 10 | League | 8 (0) | 0 |
| Chelsea | 2008 - 09 | League | 34 (0) | 2 |
| | | FA Cup | 4 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 10 (0) | 0 |
| Porto | 2007 - 08 | League | 22 (1) | 1 |
| | | FA Cup | 2 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 7 (0) | 0 |
| Porto | 2006 - 07 | League | 25 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 6 (0) | 0 |
| Porto | 2005 - 06 | League | 21 (0) | 0 |
| | | FA Cup | 1 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 4 (1) | 0 |
| Porto | 2004 - 05 | League | 22 (3) | 1 |
| | | Euro Cups | 4 (1) | 0 |
| Name: | John Terry |
| Nationality: | English |
| Date of Birth: | 07/12/1980 |
| Height: | 6' 2" (187cm) |
| Weight: | 14st 3lbs (90.34kg) |
| Previous | |
| Clubs: | Nottm Forest (loan) |
| Position: | Defender |
Chelsea careerChelsea to the core and a true hero to the fans, John is the most successful captain in Chelsea history and in many eyes, he's the best central defender currently in action.
As brave as they come and a superb reader of the game, sound technique and distribution make him more than just a defenders' defender.
Born in east London, John has been with Chelsea since the age of 14 when he was initially a medium-build midfielder.
Filling in as youth team centre-back one day due to a lack of alternatives, he has never looked back, aided by a rapid growth in physical stature.
A short and successful loan spell at Nottingham Forest helped the maturing process and having taken on board lessons first hand from the likes of Marcel Desailly and Frank Leboeuf, he was voted Chelsea Player of the Year just two seasons after his debut.
He took the captaincy, having understudied Desailly, in 2004 and led the club to the elusive title in his very first year with the armband.
With the Carling Cup also lifted, John became one of only four Chelsea captains to skipper the club to major honours and he more than played his part on the pitch in 2004/05 with a succession of world-class displays and eight crucial goals.
He was voted PFA Player of the Year by his fellow professionals, the first Chelsea winner of the accolade.
John's incredible consistency continued in 2005/06 when injury in the final week robbed him of a full house of Premiership games as he lifted the trophy for a second time.
He scored seven times in all competitions and was voted Chelsea Player of the Year for a second time.
Although he already had well over 300 club appearances to his name, the 2006/07 season was interrupted by prolonged injury as a back problem and related difficulties took time to repair.
However he was back and fighting in plenty of time to become the first to lift the FA Cup at the new Wembley.
Injuries limited him to 37 appearances from a possible 62 in 2007/08. Knee, cheek, foot and elbow injuries all took their toll on the man then manager Avram Grant described as 'bionic', but he was still there barking orders in Moscow in our first Champions League final.
Charged with converting our fifth spot kick in the Luzhniki Stadium to bring the trophy back to London, he slipped on a sodden pitch and saw his effort hit the post.
Held in the highest regard by all at the club, JT bounced back quickly in 2008/09 to lead in new eras under Luiz Felipe Scolari and then Guus Hiddink, his form rarely deviating from outstanding.
A number of defensive performances stood out as the captain maintained his best run of games for some time, despite red cards against Manchester City (rescinded) and Everton.
His greatest hour of the campaign was the near faultless display in the Camp Nou, earning a 0-0 draw against a Barcelona team that had scored freely all season.
Though we were never in the league race after the beginning of February, John still got his hands on silverware as he captained an FA Cup-winning side for the second time.
In 2009/10 JT turned in another season of remarkable consistency in which he was rewarded by becoming the first Chelsea captain to lift the Double.
On the field, Terry did not miss a game through injury, and while others around him suffered with fitness - every other Chelsea defender had a prolonged absence at some point in the season - it was he who played out the entire campaign alongside either Ricardo Carvalho, Branislav Ivanovic or Alex.
Against Manchester United at home, the captain rose highest to head the game's only goal and when headlines about his personal life began to appear, his response was predictable, heading home a winner at Burnley to seize three points.
He was again on the scoresheet to see us into the FA Cup semi-finals. Having lifted his third Premier League trophy a week early, he did the same with the FA Cup after overcoming a metatarsal scare, and almost netted after heading against the crossbar.
His second season under Carlo Ancelotti saw Terry maintain his form when many around him lost theirs during a bad midwinter.Results especially suffered when the skipper was injured for a two-week spell in the November.
Although 2010/11 was a rare one without trophies for John, in the April at home to Spurs he reached a major personal landmark of 500 Chelsea games, only the fifth player to reach that total, and he has been a figure of consistency once more in the current campaign.
Terry's displays have been characteristically solid despite a string of injuries in 2011/12, the most serious of which was a knee injury sustained in early January that kept him out for eight games, having played for most of the month while in pain. It was a remarkably speedy return after surgery in February though, that saw him back for the dramatic second-leg win over Napoli, in which he netted a crucial second.
It has in fact been his most prolific season in front of goal since the title-winning 2005-06 season and, whether alongside David Luiz, Gary Cahill or Ivanovic, the captain has continued to stand out.
Terry suffered a major blow when he was ruled out of the Champions League Final against Bayern Munich after being dismissed in the semi-final second leg clash with Barcelona. However, he was allowed to lift the trophy alongside Frank Lampard and, after picking up the FA Cup only a matter of weeks earlier, it will go down as another memorable season for the skipper.
International John was handed his England debut in June 2003 against Serbia and Montenegro, and was first choice for his country at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup, taking on the captaincy under Steve McClaren following that tournament.
Chelsea's first homegrown to be capped by England since Ray Wilkins in the mid 70s, Terry became our first England skipper of the professional age, although the armband was taken away by Fabio Capello in February 2010 following media stories about John's private life.
Having already lifted the FA Cup there for his club, John became the scorer of the first international goal at the new Wembley, heading home the opener in England's 1-1 draw with Brazil.
With injury having robbed him of the chance to repair England's faltering Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, he led his country to qualification for the South Africa World Cup in 2010, and played in all four of his country's games, supplying a rare memorable moment in that tournament when he attempted a diving horizontal block, with his head, a mere foot off the ground against Slovenia.
In March 2011 he was reappointed England captain on a full-time basis by Capello, but saw the armband removed once more a year later. He will continue to give his all for his country, and if fit will be a dead-cert for a starting place at Euro 2012.
| League | 31 (0) | 6 | 8 | 0 |
| FA Cup | 4 (0) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| League Cup | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Euro Cups | 8 (0) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| Career History: |
| Chelsea | 2010 - 11 | League | 33 (0) | 3 |
| | | FA Cup | 3 (0) | 0 |
| | | League Cup | 1 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 8 (0) | 1 |
| Chelsea | 2009 - 10 | League | 37 (0) | 2 |
| | | FA Cup | 5 (0) | 1 |
| | | League Cup | 0 (1) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 8 (0) | 0 |
| Chelsea | 2008 - 09 | League | 35 (0) | 1 |
| | | FA Cup | 4 (0) | 0 |
| | | League Cup | 1 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 11 (0) | 2 |
| Chelsea | 2007 - 08 | League | 23 (0) | 1 |
| | | FA Cup | 2 (0) | 0 |
| | | League Cup | 2 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 10 (0) | 0 |
| Chelsea | 2006 - 07 | League | 27 (1) | 1 |
| | | FA Cup | 4 (0) | 0 |
| | | League Cup | 2 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 10 (0) | 0 |
| Chelsea | 2005 - 06 | League | 36 (0) | 4 |
| | | FA Cup | 4 (0) | 2 |
| | | League Cup | 1 (0) | 1 |
| | | Euro Cups | 8 (0) | 0 |
| Chelsea | 2004 - 05 | League | 36 (0) | 3 |
| | | FA Cup | 1 (0) | 1 |
| | | League Cup | 5 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 11 (0) | 4 |
| Chelsea | 2003 - 04 | League | 33 (0) | 2 |
| | | FA Cup | 3 (0) | 1 |
| | | League Cup | 2 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 13 (0) | 0 |
| Chelsea | 2002 - 03 | League | 16 (4) | 3 |
| | | FA Cup | 5 (0) | 2 |
| | | League Cup | 3 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 1 (0) | 1 |
| Chelsea | 2001 - 02 | League | 32 (1) | 1 |
| | | FA Cup | 3 (2) | 2 |
| | | League Cup | 5 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 4 (0) | 1 |
| Chelsea | 2000 - 01 | League | 19 (3) | 1 |
| | | FA Cup | 3 (0) | 0 |
| | | League Cup | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Nottm Forest | 1999 - 00 | League | 5 (1) | 0 |
| Chelsea | 1999 - 00 | League | 2 (2) | 0 |
| | | FA Cup | 2 (2) | 1 |
| | | League Cup | 1 (0) | 0 |
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| Name: | Gary Cahill |
| Nationality: | English |
| Date of Birth: | 19/12/1985 |
| Height: | 6' 2" (188cm) |
| Weight: | 11st 2lbs (70.82kg) |
| Previous | |
| Clubs: | Burnley (loan), Bolton, Sheffield Utd (loan), Aston Villa |
| Position: | Defender |
Chelsea careerGary Cahill signed for Chelsea in mid-January 2012.
He became the fifth current England international in the squad and on moving to Stamford Bridge from Bolton Wanderers, and took the number 24 shirt.
He didn't get his first Blues appearances for a couple of weeks as Andre Villas-Boas chose to give him time to acclimatise in west London, but did start the dramatic 3-3 draw with Manchester United and, despite the comeback from the visitors, looked to be showing the early signs of a promising partnership with David Luiz.
Since then Cahill has been regularly involved, as knocks to central defenders have given him opportunities, and he has also shown the goalscoring prowess previously on display at former club Bolton and with the England national team, netting two in two during March, forging a new relationship with John Terry that he will be hoping to replicate on the international stage during the summer's European Championships.
Cahill enjoyed arguably his most impressive game in a Chelsea shirt during the 1-0 Champions League semi-final first leg victory over Barcelona, but having picked up an injury in the return, he missed the last month of the season, including the FA Cup Final win against Liverpool at Wembley.
However, having been passed fit only days ahead of the Champions League Final, Cahill started the game against Bayern Munich and played the full 120 minutes, picking up a Champions League winners' medal and ending a memorable season in the best possible fashion.
Pre-ChelseaBorn in Sheffield in December 1985, Cahill joined Aston Villa's Academy as a 15-year-old but joined Burnley on a half-season loan in late 2004, making his Football League debut in a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest.
He made 32 appearances in all competitions for the Clarets, winning both Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards at Turf Moor before returning to Villa's first-team setup in late 2005, making his bow in an 8-3 win against Wycombe in the League Cup, but it was not until April that he made a Premier League appearance in a 5-0 defeat at Arsenal.
The defender kept his place however and began the next season at the centre of defence under Martin O' Neill, but after just two appearances in 2007/08 he went out on loan again, signing for Sheffield United in the Championship, scoring twice in 16 games for the Bramall Lane club.
A £5 million move to Bolton followed in January 2008 and Cahill quickly settled at the Reebok Stadium, becoming a fixture in Gary Megson's side and helping them avoid relegation.
Form at club level had remained consistently high under the guidance of Owen Coyle, and he played 36 league games during 2010/11, but stated he would not be signing a new contract for the Lancashire club when his current deal expired in 2012.
This led to interest from a number of top clubs but it was Stamford Bridge Cahill favoured as a destination.
International careerAn England Under 21 international since early 2007, Cahill was added to the England squad for a World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan in June 2009, but had to wait until September2010 for a debut, when he replaced the injured Michael Dawson to partner John Terry in a 4-0 win over Bulgaria.
In March 2011, Cahill made his first England start in a friendly against Ghana, and scored his first international goal away in Bulgaria in September.
After impressing during his first five months at Stamford Bridge, Cahill was selected as part of the 23-man England squad for the European Championships. However, in the final warm-up game before departure, he collided with goalkeeper Joe Hart, fracturing his jaw in two places, and was subsequently ruled out of the tournament.
| League | 9 (1) | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| FA Cup | 3 (1) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Euro Cups | 4 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
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| Bolton |
| League | 19 (0) | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| League Cup | 2 (0) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| |
| Career History: |
| Bolton | 2010 - 11 | League | 36 (0) | 3 |
| | | FA Cup | 5 (0) | 0 |
| Bolton | 2009 - 10 | League | 29 (0) | 5 |
| | | FA Cup | 2 (0) | 1 |
| | | League Cup | 3 (0) | 1 |
| Bolton | 2008 - 09 | League | 33 (0) | 3 |
| | | League Cup | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Bolton | 2007 - 08 | League | 13 (0) | 0 |
| | | Euro Cups | 4 (0) | 0 |
| Sheffield Utd | 2007 - 08 | League | 16 (0) | 2 |
| Aston Villa | 2007 - 08 | League | 0 (1) | 0 |
| | | League Cup | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Aston Villa | 2006 - 07 | League | 19 (1) | 0 |
| | | FA Cup | 1 (0) | 0 |
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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.
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.
Launched in November 2004, the new badge became effective from May 2005. Additionally, a special centenary version was used during that initial commemorative year.