Best Chelsea defenders all time – who are the best Chelsea backs of all time ever in history?
Best Chelsea defenders all time? Which Chelsea players have been the best left, right, center and full backs of all time? John Terry is considered by most as the best Chelsea FC defender ever. But who else from Chelsea makes the list? Hopefully, this list installs some nostalgia in Chelsea fans looking back at some of the best Chelsea defenders. Here we will look at the best Chelsea defenders all time. Watch & Bet on Football =>
Best Chelsea defenders of all time – here are the best Chelsea left, right, center and full backs.
So who are the best Chelsea defenders of all time? Here is our list of Chelsea players who we consider to be the best Chelsea defenders in history. Note: We are listing the top three players in each position in no particular order. Watch & Bet on Football =>
Best Chelsea left backs of all time
Greatest Chelsea left-back ever? Who are the best Chelsea left-backs ever? Here we will look at the best Chelsea FC left-backs ever.Â
1. Ashley Cole is one of the best Chelsea left-backs ever!
Ashley Cole is considered by many as the best ever Chelsea left-back. The Englishman moved to Chelsea in 2006 as part of a swap-deal and instantly proved that Chelsea got the better end of the deal. Chelsea paid Arsenal just £5 million-plus William Gallas going the other way to Arsenal. Cole had already won two Premier League titles at Arsenal. But Cole wanted to move in order to win even more trophies.
Cole played for Chelsea for eight seasons and he was consistently the best left-back in the Premier League for most of them. In-fact, Ashley Cole won the Chelsea players player of the year twice (2008/09 and 2010/11).
In total, Cole made 338 appearances for Chelsea and scored seven goals.
Cole won pretty much every trophy a footballer could possibly win at Chelsea. He won the Premier League once (in 2009/10). The FA Cup four times. The League Cup once. And he won the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League. Watch & Bet on Football =>
2. Graeme Le Saux is one of the best Chelsea left-backs ever. – Best Chelsea defenders
Graeme Le Saux was a superb left-back who could get up and down the wing with ease. Le Saux played over 300 times for The Blues after joining in 1997.
Le Saux had previously played for Chelsea in 1989 but moved in 1993 to join Blackburn. In 1997, Le Saux returned to Chelsea. He became the most expensive English footballer at the time after Chelsea paid £5 million for him when he returned.
Le Saux played for six seasons with Chelsea before he left for Southampton in 2003. Watch & Bet on Football =>
3. Eddie McCreadie is one of the greatest ever Chelsea left-backs
Eddie McCreadie is one of the best ever left-backs to have played for Chelsea.
Signed for Chelsea in 1962 for £5000, McCreadie was well worth the buy. McCreadie would go onto serving the Blues for over a decade.
McCreadie was a full-back well beyond his time. He was almost a modern wing-back running up and down the touchline attacking.
From 1962-1973, McCreadie made 331 appearances for Chelsea. He won the FA Cup with Chelsea in 1970.
He would also go onto manage Chelsea later on in his career. Watch & Bet on Football =>
Best Chelsea centre backs of all time
Best Chelsea centre-back ever? Let’s have a look at the best Chelsea centre-backs
1. John Terry is one of Chelsea’s best centre-backs ever.
John Terry has to be Chelsea’s best ever center-back right? He played for Chelsea for 20 years and captained his side for most of it. Terry was also the England captain for many years too.
Terry won every trophy imaginable for Chelsea. He won the Premier League multiple times, FA Cup, Champions League, League Cup among countless other trophies and individual awards that are too many to list here.
Terry will go down as not only one of the greatest defenders, but also one of the greatest Chelsea players ever. Watch & Bet on Football =>
2. Ron Harris is one of the best Chelsea defenders all time
Ron “Chopper” Harris is one of Chelsea’s best ever defenders. He was known for his tough-tackling- hence his name- and his aggression the pitch.
Born in London, England, Harris spent most of his career in London too, at Chelsea.
From 1961 to 1980, Harris made a stunning 795 appearances for Chelsea- the record for most appearances. He scored only 13 goals in 19 years at The Blues, but Harris was not employed for his goalscoring.
His tackling and ability to win possession for his team mark Harris as one of the best ever Chelsea defenders.
Harris individual awards include most league appearances for Chelsea ever, most FA Cup appearances, and most appearances in total- 795.
Harris won the FA Cup, European Cup Winner’s Cup, and the League Cup among others during his time at the Bridge.
3. Marcel Desailly is one of the greatest Chelsea center-backs
The French center-back played for Chelsea from 1998 to 2004. He won the FA Cup with the Blues during his six-years at the Blues.
Desailly made 158 appearances for Chelsea and is credited for having mentored John Terry during the Englishman’s youth.
The French center-back captained Chelsea throughout most of his time at Stamford Bridge. He also featured and captained the France national team. He won the world cup in 1998 and the Euro Cup in 2000 with France.
Desailly was a highly versatile player who could play in the wing-back positions or defensive midfield or as a sweeper. Watch & Bet on Football =>
Best Chelsea right backs of all time
Best Chelsea right-back ever? Who are the best ever Chelsea right-backs? The best ever Chelsea wing-backs?
1. Branislav Ivanovic is one of Chelsea’s greatest ever defenders
Branislav Ivanovic is one of Chelsea’s best ever right-backs. The Serbian was known for his strength and ability in the air.
Ivanovic arrived at Chelsea in 2008 from Lokomotiv Moscow for around £9 million. From 2008 to 2017, the Serbian made 377 appearances for Chelsea and scored 34 goals. That’s quite a goal tally for a centre-back/ right-back.
Because of his versatility, Ivanovic was often employed as a centre-back or a right-back.
He was known for his ability to get up and down the wing and despite his lack of pace, his intelligence and positional awareness made him a great defender.
Ivanovic won the Premier League three times, The FA Cup three times, and the UEFA Champions League among others.
 2. Steve Clarke is one of the best Chelsea defenders all time
One of Chelsea’s best ever right-backs, Clarke played for Chelsea for over 11 years from 1987 to 1998.
Clarke was part of the team that won the FA Cup in 1997 and also won the Cup Winner’s Cup in his final game in 1998.
Clarke made 421 appearances for Chelsea. He was named Chelsea’s Player’s Player of the Year in 1993/94.
3. Cesar Azpilicueta is one of the best Chelsea defenders ever
Cesar may be a right-back now showed his versatility when he played as a centre back, a left-back and a wing-back on both wings for Chelsea. Azpilicueta is one of Chelsea’s most consistent defenders ever. In fact, former manager Jose Mourinho once quipped that he would love a team full of Cesar Azpilicuetas’.
Arriving at Chelsea in 2012 from Marseille for around £7 million, Azpilicueta was a great bargain.
The Spaniard has already made over 370 appearances for Chelsea from 2012 to 2020. He is now Chelsea’s best defender and the captain on the pitch.
Best Chelsea Defenders – Current squad
This is a little ironical question as the Chelsea defence of the current squad is the worst of the lot. They shipped in 54 goals last season and have shipped 43 goals since Lampard arrived in away matches – the highest in England.
However, there are a few good stars. New boy Ben Chilwell looks the real deal with his left back role while Azpi continues to impress. The veteran Thiago Silva looks like a solid buy for one season. Watch & Bet on Football =>
See also
- Chelsea players with mask – Chelsea players with face masks
- Best Chelsea strikers of all time (attackers & forwards)
- Chelsea FC biggest win ever – highest Chelsea win ever in history!
Table of Contents
