Frank Lampard, a Chelsea and England veteran, already announced his picks for the greatest-ever XI, as well as the man he believes is football’s actual greatest of all time. The former midfielder, who is now the manager of Coventry City, has had the opportunity to play with and against some of the game’s biggest players.
Lampard’s resume speaks for itself. He is still the highest-scoring midfielder in Premier League history, having won three league titles, as well as Champions League and Europa League trophies, during his illustrious time at Chelsea. Few are more suited to determining what distinguishes the great from the merely good.
His dream team consists of six former colleagues. While huge names like Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard, and Eden Hazard – widely regarded as one of the best wingers in Premier League history – were left out, the rest of his squad included players who have tested him at the greatest level in Europe and beyond.
Frank Lampard’s Greatest Ever XI includes Petr Cech as goalkeeper.
Lampard said to Petr Cech as “the most complete goalkeeper.” That praise seems appropriate for a guy who not only recovered from a career-threatening head injury in 2006, resulting in his distinctive protective helmet, but also went on to become the Premier League’s all-time clean sheet leader, with 202 shutouts in 443 games.
Cech was a key member of Chelsea’s renowned 2004/05 defence, which conceded only 15 goals in 38 league matches, a record that still holds today. His consistency was rewarded with four Premier League Golden Glove medals, a competition record, as he helped the Blues win four league titles during his time at Stamford Bridge.
RB: Branislav Ivanovic.
Branislav Ivanovic was the most prolific goalscorer on this list of the top Premier League right-backs ever, and his ability to score critical goals was an added bonus to the rock-hard presence he offered to Chelsea’s right side. While some perceived the huge Serbian as a hardheaded lump at the back, purists correctly recognized him as a marauding juggernaut who contributed significantly to three Premier League titles.
CB: John Terry
Lampard’s defensive choices were clearly not lacking in goals, with John Terry, his captain throughout his Chelsea career, the top name at centre-back. Terry was a captain, leader, and legend in every sense of the word. He scored in 17 straight seasons for the Blues and is still the club’s most decorated captain, having won 16 major awards in over 700 games.
Terry’s tough defending and authoritative presence were key to Chelsea’s five Premier League titles under his leadership. Perhaps his happiest accomplishment came in 2012, when he played a critical role in leading the club to its first Champions League victory.
CB: Vincent Kompany.
Despite suffering several injuries towards the end of his career at Manchester City, Vincent Kompany will be remembered as one of the league’s finest centre-backs. When he was available, he was a behemoth in the City backline. During his 11 years with the club, he transformed the team from mid-table mediocrity to the dominant force in English football, with his leadership abilities showing through.
It’s no surprise that Lamaprd struggled to keep up with him; he was quick, strong, and always seemed to be one step ahead of those he was marking.
LB: Ashley Cole
Rightly considered as the finest left-back in Premier League history, Ashley Cole rounds out a defensive line made up entirely of players Lampard shared the pitch with. Lampard cited Cole’s steadiness as the primary reason for his inclusion, despite the fact that there was no competition; Cole had been a fixture at both Chelsea and England for much of Lampard’s career.
Cole’s worldwide accomplishments speak for themselves. He has 107 caps for the Three Lions, more than any other full-back, and from 2010 to 2012, he went 22 straight England games without being dribbled past. At club level, his achievements are just as impressive: three Premier League crowns, a Champions League victory, and a record seven FA Cup winners’ medals, which equals Manchester City’s total.
RM: Cristiano Ronaldo.
No greatest-ever XI would feel complete without two specific names. The first is Cristiano Ronaldo, the last Premier League player to win the Ballon d’Or before Rodri. He went on to claim five total at the height of his abilities. Lampard expressed appreciation for the Portuguese forward, saying:
“The most complete player.” He scored all types of goals, including headed goals, free kicks, and solo goals. “One of the best players in the world.”
In 438 Real Madrid matches, the man called “Mr Champions League” for his crucial performances on Europe’s grandest stage scored an incredible 450 goals, guiding them and Manchester United to five European titles during his career. Even at 40, he is still one of the most productive forwards in the game’s history.
CM: Xavi
Barcelona’s tiki-taka brilliance posed the greatest threat to Chelsea’s long-term dominance in Europe. In an age where midfield dominance was frequently the key to victory, Pep Guardiola’s side set the benchmark – and it’s no wonder that both of their iconic midfielders are included in Lampard’s squad.
Xavi’s knowledge of the game, including when to pass, when to keep the ball, and how to position himself, was nothing short of magnificent. He won 25 of his 32 professional trophies with Barcelona, including four Champions League titles and eight La Liga championships. His influence on football has been significant, with several players studying his approach and attempting to incorporate pieces of the proud Catalan’s play into their own, excluding Lampard himself.
CM: Andres Iniesta
Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, and Claude Makelele are some of the greatest midfielders. Lampard had the honor of playing alongside Andres Iniesta, but none could quite equal his magic. The Barcelona star won an incredible 40 trophies during his career, 32 of which came with the Catalan giants, where he created one of football’s most legendary pairings with Xavi.
Iniesta’s brilliance stretched much beyond club football. He was a driving force in Spain’s golden era, playing on a squad that won three straight major tournaments from 2008 to 2012. His most memorable moment occurred on the largest platform of all, when he scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final, defeating the Netherlands and delivering Spain’s first-ever world trophy.
LM: Gareth Bale.
Despite Eden Hazard being the standout player at Stamford Bridge for much of Lampard’s later career, the Chelsea legend clearly prefers a winger defined by productivity and explosive impact over fancy footwork. That predilection was clear when he chose former Tottenham and Real Madrid player Gareth Bale to fill the position.
Often underestimated during his time in Spain, Bale routinely delivered goals and assists in insanely large amounts. His ability to dominate a game was on full display in the 2018 Champions League final against Liverpool, where he scored one of the greatest goals of all time, capping a five-year Champions League reign.
ST: Didier Drogba.
Didier Drogba was a major component in Chelsea’s ascension under Jose Mourinho, scoring crucial goals to help the club win several trophies. The Ivorian scored 104 Premier League goals, typically in high-pressure situations. But Drogba was far more than just a prolific scorer; he coupled great size, aerial dominance, and pace with exceptional technical skill, transforming him into a complete attacker capable of bullying defenders and creating opportunities from nothing.
He possessed all of the qualities of a top-tier striker and deserves a significant role in Lampard’s team. Aside from his domestic achievements, Drogba’s defining Chelsea moment came in the aforementioned 2012 Champions League final, when his late equaliser against Bayern Munich set the ground for the Blues to win their first-ever title in Europe’s premier club championship.
Lionel Messi (Lampard’s Greatest Of All Time)
Is there anything that can be said about Lionel Messi that hasn’t previously been mentioned? In Lampard’s books, just as he is with many others across the globe, he is the best footballer to ever exist. “For me, the greatest player in the world,” he stated (see the complete video here).
“Probably [the greatest footballer] of all time. He’s a genius.”
Before 2022, there were frequent discussions about who the world’s finest player was, but Messi’s World Cup victory with Argentina appeared to settle the issue, filling the final gap in his incredible record of accomplishments.
The Argentine great broke numerous records, most notably scoring 91 goals in a single calendar year in 2012. Messi has won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards, 12 league crowns, four Champions League trophies, and two Copa América titles.
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