With Chelsea not in action due to the international break, it is a great time to look back and reminisce about some absolute legends who have played for this football club!

With that in mind, who would get into an all-time Premier League XI? Who misses out? Who should be in charge of it?

This one is sure to stir some debate! Even the formation we have chosen is going to cause some controversy (more on that later), but it is a bit of fun during what will probably be another dull international break (boo!). So, without further ado, here is The Chelsea Chronicle’s all-time Chelsea Premier League XI:

Goalkeeper: Petr Cech

Premier League appearances: 443

Premier League clean sheets: 161

Premier League titles: 4

This is a pretty simple one. Had Thibaut Courtois stayed at Chelsea longer, it would be much more of a debate, but Petr Cech is easily Chelsea’s best goalkeeper in the Premier League era and arguably of all time.

Honourable mention: Thibaut Courtois

Right-back: Cesar Azpilicueta

Premier League appearances: 349

Premier League goals: 10

Premier League assists: 35

Premier League titles: 2

At Chelsea, Cesar Azpilicueta probably played his best football as a centre-back in a back three. However, the Spaniard joined as a right-back and rarely disappointed there or on the opposite flank as a left-back, where Jose Mourinho used him in Chelsea’s 2014/15 Premier League title-winning season. One-v-one, there was not a better full-back defensively in England when he was playing as one.

Honourable mention: Branislav Ivanovic, Paulo Ferreira, Dan Petrescu

Centre-back: Marcel Desailly

Premier League appearances: 158

Premier League goals: 6

Premier League assists: 4

Premier League titles: 0

Central defence is where things start to get a bit more controversial. Marcel Desailly did not taste the kind of Premier League success that Ricardo Carvalho did, for example, but this is one of the greatest centre-halves of his generation.

Of course, Desailly was coming down from the level he was at during his time with AC Milan, but the World Cup winner still had so much ability, leadership and intelligence.

Honourable mention: Ricardo Carvalho, David Luiz, Alex

Centre-back: John Terry

Premier League appearances: 492

Premier League goals: 41

Premier League assists: 12

Premier League titles: 5

Captain. Leader. Legend. That’s it.

Honourable mention: Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, Gary Cahill

Left-back: Ashley Cole

Premier League appearances: 385

Premier League goals: 15

Premier League assists: 31

Premier League titles: 3

Ashley Cole is the best left-back in Premier League history, so of course he gets into this side. Offensively, you will find better left-backs. But defensively, even Cristiano Ronaldo could not get past the England legend.

Honourable mention: William Gallas, Graeme Le Saux

Defensive midfielder: Claude Makelele

Premier League appearances: 144

Premier League goals: 2

Premier League assists: 4

Premier League titles: 2

The man with a position named after him. If you are deploying a midfield three (which we are), it is impossible not to pick Claude Makelele for the holding midfield position or the “Makelele role”.

Honourable mention: Nemanja Matic, John Obi Mikel

Central midfielder: N’Golo Kante

Premier League appearances: 227

Premier League goals: 12

Premier League assists: 17

Premier League titles: 2

Makelele’s successor, N’Golo Kante, another no-brainer! Kante was perhaps not as glued to the defensive midfield position as Makelele was. He also liked to win the ball high up the pitch, putting out more fires than his compatriot. Both offered great protection to Chelsea’s backline, though, which is how the Fenerbahce star became Makelele’s heir.

Honourable mention: Michael Essien, Moises Caicedo

Central midfielder: Frank Lampard

Premier League appearances: 609

Premier League goals: 177

Premier League assists: 102

Premier League titles: 3

Our midfield may be able to put out fires, but it is lacking a couple of things: goals and creativity. Enter Frank Lampard, the greatest goalscoring midfielder in Premier League history.

Lampard brings goals, assists, a range of passing, set pieces, leadership, everything. Another easy inclusion in this team.

Honourable mention: Cesc Fabregas, Michael Ballack

Attacking midfielder: Gianfranco Zola

Premier League appearances: 229

Premier League goals: 59

Premier League assists: 41

Premier League titles: 0

Further forward, the legendary Gianfranco Zola adds to Lampard’s creativity. It would have been a delight to watch the little Italian in this era where games can be lost and won in the half-spaces. As you have probably figured out now, no touchline wingers for us here. But who takes the other attacking midfielder position?

Honourable mention: Juan Mata

Attacking midfielder: Eden Hazard

Premier League appearances: 245

Premier League goals: 85

Premier League assists: 45

Premier League titles: 2

Eden Hazard, of course, is the other No.10 in this team, which means there is no room for Cole Palmer. If Palmer maintained the output he produced back in the 2023/24 season, he probably replaces Zola or forces a formation change. But as of now, it is not hard to go with the former Italy international and Hazard.

Hazard may just be the most talented footballer to ever play for Chelsea, and if it is not him, then it is Zola. Hazard also had an end product to go with his talent and skill. Once he matured, in the final third, Hazard NEVER made the wrong decision. If the ex-Belgium star had even more quality around him, he would have left Chelsea with much higher numbers.

Honourable mention: Cole Palmer

Centre-forward: Didier Drogba

Premier League appearances: 254

Premier League goals: 104

Premier League assists: 55

Premier League titles: 4

There is only one man who can lead the line in this Chelsea all-time Premier League XI: Didier Drogba. No Chelsea striker has come close to his 2009/10 campaign in which he won the golden boot. Drogba scored 29 goals and provided 10 assists in 32 appearances that season. On his day, UNPLAYABLE!

Formation: 4-3-2-1

The 4-3-2-1 or Christmas tree formation is not one you see too often these days. Interestingly enough, Xabi Alonso used what looked like a 4-3-2-1/4-3-3 against Sunderland, so it is not completely extinct.

You usually see a 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 or old-school 4-4-2 with these all-time XIs, but this is probably the best way to get Zola and Hazard into the team in positions they will be comfortable in all while still having a balanced midfield (yes, I’ve put that much thought into this lol).

With no wingers, you probably need full-backs who are offensively better than Cole and Azpilicueta. But we are just going to back Hazard, Zola, Drogba and Lampard to completely overwhelm their opponents in the middle.

Manager: Jose Mourinho

Finally, our manager for this XI is three-time Premier League title winner Jose Mourinho, the Special One. But was that ever in doubt? Of course not!

Honourable mention: Carlo Ancelotti, Antonio Conte