5 players who won the most trophies with Chelsea
At a club like Chelsea, winning trophies is not a luxury - it's considered a bare necessity. Ever since Roman Abramovich purchased the club in 2003, his ruthlessness has instilled a winning mentality in the side. Players, managers and coaching staff come and go, but the sheer thirst for trophies is embedded deep into the club's core.
Winning trophies is part of Chelsea Football Club's DNA
Despite the hire-and-fire policy adopted by Chelsea's hierarchy, success has continued on the pitch. The biggest example of this paying off was in the 2020-21 season, when club legend Frank Lampard was relieved of his duties as manager and replaced by Thomas Tuchel, who went on to win the Champions League.
The same goes for players too - with huge sums of money being spent in every transfer window, each player has to work hard to retain their spot in the first-team.
Some players have done this very well and have gone on to win a remarkable number of trophies. The following list ranks the five most decorated players in Chelsea's history in terms of trophies won at the club:
#5 Paulo Ferreira (12 major trophies)
Paulo Ferreira joined Chelsea from Porto in the summer of 2004. He formed part of the Portuguese side's famous Champions League winning side in 2003-04, playing every single minute of the competition. The right-back was among three recruits from Porto that summer - the other two being centre-back Ricardo Carvalho and manager Jose Mourinho.
In his very first season at Chelsea, Ferreira made 42 appearances in all competitions, winning the Premier League in the process along with the League Cup. He comfortably slotted in on either flank as a full-back. The following season his role in the squad diminished, but he managed 32 appearances in all competitions nonetheless, en route to another Premier League title with Chelsea.
The 2006-07 season was marginally better for Ferreira as he made 38 appearances, winning the League Cup and FA Cup. During the 2008-09 season, the Portuguese full-back suffered a cruciate ligament rupture which left him sidelined for the majority of the season as well as the next. However, he made 13 appearances for Chelsea in the league in 2009-10 as the London side won their third Premier League title along with another FA Cup.
Ferreira was also part of Chelsea's Champions League winning squad in 2012, making two appearances in the competition. The same followed in his final season in 2012-13, as he played the entire 90 minutes in the quarter-final second leg against Rubin Kazan. Upon the expiry of his contract, Paulo Ferreira decided to retire in 2013 at the age of 34, having made 217 appearances for Chelsea over nine years.
#4 Frank Lampard (13 major trophies)
Frank Lampard is known as one of Chelsea's greatest ever players. Rightfully too, as he is the leading goalscorer in the London side's history. Over 648 appearances, the midfielder scored 211 goals and also provided 150 assists. Recognized as a complete midfielder, Lampard won 13 trophies with Chelsea, where he played for over a decade.
Chelsea signed Lampard in the summer of 2001, even before Abramovich bought the club in 2003. The midfielder made an instant impact, making 53 appearances in all competitions in his debut season. He remained a mainstay in the squad and was integral to the 2004-05 Premier League title, playing every single Premier League game. Across all competitions, he made 58 appearances that season, scoring 19 times and picking up 21 assists.
The 2005-06 season saw the same trend continue, as he made 50 appearances in all competitions, scoring 20 times and notching up 13 assists. Chelsea retained their Premier League title that season. Lampard's most prolific season was in 2009-10, where he scored 27 goals and assisted 18 more in 51 appearances under Carlo Ancelotti. That season also saw Lampard win his third Premier League title with Chelsea, along with his third FA Cup.
Lampard's best moment came in the Champions League campaign of 2011-12, as he captained Chelsea in the final against Bayern Munich following John Terry's suspension. A win on penalties saw Lampard and Chelsea finally get their hands on the trophy that had evaded them in the past, especially after losing out on it in 2008 to Manchester United. The legendary midfielder added another European trophy to his cabinet, winning the Europa League in 2013.
Jose Mourinho's return to Chelsea for the 2013-14 season was Lampard's last at the club, and he failed to win a trophy in his final year. However, he left the club as a legend, winning 13 trophies and breaking records.