Africa-Press – Senegal. By signing the Senegalese Nicolas Jackson for 37 million euros, Chelsea (English elite) perpetuates its old tradition of counting African players in its squad since 1968 with the first of them, South African striker Derek Smethurst.
Depuis sa fondation en 1905, le club anglais s‘est attaché les services d’une trentaine de joueurs africains. Le premier professionnel du continent à avoir porté le maillot des Blues, est le Sud-africain Derek Smethurst, en 1968, en provenance de Durban City FC, le club de sa ville de naissance.
Né en 1947, il jouera pendant trois saisons à Chelsea (jusqu’en 1971), avant de rejoindre Millwall FC un autre club londonien. Il a inscrit 20 buts en 42 matchs avec les réserves des Blues. C’est en 1970 qu’il fit ses débuts en équipe première. Il y inscrira cinq buts en 18 matchs.
Mark Stein (1993-1998), Pierre Issa (2001), et Colin Viljoen, d’origine Sud-africain (1980-1982), ont été achetés par Chelsea.
Mendy, le meilleur palmarès africain de Chelsea
En s’engageant avec le club londonien pour huit ans, Jackson est devenu le cinquième international sénégalais à porter la tunique bleue après Demba Ba (2013-2014), Papy Mison Djilobodji (2015), Edouard Mendy (2020-2023) et l’actuel capitaine de l’équipe nationale, Kalidou Koulibaly (depuis 2022-2023).
Arrivé en 2020 à Chelsea, en provenance du Stade Rennais FC (France), Mendy a remporté la Ligue des champions 2021, la Coupe du monde des clubs et la Supercoupe d’Europe la même année. Il a été aussi finaliste de la Coupe d’Angleterre, édition 2021. Il a par ailleurs été élu gardien de la saison par l’UEFA en août 2021, avant d’être plébiscité, quelques mois après, meilleur gardien de l’année « The Best FIFA Football Awards », en janvier 2022.
Drogba ou le symbole de l’ascension de Chelsea
Many big names in African football have played for the club, six times champions of England (1955, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2015, 2017). And when we talk about this club, the first African name that comes to mind is, without a doubt, the Ivorian Didier Drogba.
Presented by specialists as « the symbol of Chelsea’s rise », the Ivorian carried the Blues attack for several years. Three times winner of the Premier League (2005, 2006 and 2010) with the club, Drogba, listed in the club’s legendary players, played 341 games in eight years (2004-2012), and scored 157 goals. Didier Drogba (35) offered the Champions League to Chelsea in 2012.
The year of his departure, his compatriot Salomon Kalou arrived at Chelsea. The striker has 254 games and 60 goals with the double Champions League winners (2012-2021), in six years (2006-2012). Other Ivorians have also played with the London club. This is Jérémie Bogo (2015-2018). Datro Fofana joined the Blues this year.
Obi Mikel, the “hairdresser” player
Nigeria also marked the London club with the passage of its professionals like John Obi Mikel (2006-2017). The defensive midfielder has scored six goals in 372 games. Most of the time, the Nigerian played as a substitute
The other Super Eagles to have evolved eight years (1997-2005) in the winner of the 2021 Club World Cup is Celestine Babayaro. The 44-year-old left-back has scored eight goals in 197 games.
With the same number of years spent at Chelsea, Nigerian Victor Moses has played 128 games for 18 goals. The right side born in 1990 has been involved since 2021 with Spartak Moscow.
The defender of Torino FC (Seria A, Italy), Ola Aina (2016-2019), and the central defender of Deportivo Leganés (2nd Spanish division) Kenneth Omeruo (2012-2019, without playing a match) are also players of Nigerian nationality recruited by Chelsea.
Essien, the Ghanaian « Bison » of Chelsea
Michael Essien is one of the Ghanaian players who has marked the history of the London club the most. The midfielder spent nine years (2005-2014) at the London club. He scored 24 goals in 256 games.
Died this year in an earthquake in Turkey, his compatriot Christian Atsu (2013-2017) also wore the Blues jersey. As well as Abdul Rahman Baba (since 2015), on loan at Reading (3rd English division). Brighton’s current right-back (English top flight), Tariq Lamptey (2008-2020) was trained at Chelsea.
Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o Fils (2013-2014) played 35 games with the club and scored five goals. His compatriot, midfielder Geremi Njitap, played there for four years (2003-2007), scoring four goals in 107 games.
Egyptian Mohamed Salah (2014-2016), Liberian, world gold ball in 1995, George Weah (2000), Burkinabè Bertrand Traoré (2014-2017), Ugandan Joel Derick Kitamirike (2001-2004), and Congolese goalkeeper Yves Makabu-Makalambay (2003-2005) have all also worn the colors of the Blues. Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-2023) is a Chelsea player.
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