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Two-time Champions League winners Chelsea are currently a force to be reckoned with in European football. They have the money, talent, and courage to win big and that is exactly what they have been doing since the turn of the century.
Chelsea’s love for free-flowing football has attracted several fine creators over the last 21 years. These players have not always been on the scoresheet, but their contributions have allowed Chelsea to announce themselves to the world.
Here are the top five Chelsea players with the most number of assists for Chelsea in the 21st century:
#5 Juan Mata - 58 assists
Currently reduced to a bench warmer at Manchester United, Juan Mata once used to be one of the most creative midfielders in the Premier League. The former Real Madrid Castilla man first found his footing at Valencia and then signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2011.
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Known for his defence-piercing passes and game-reading skills, Mata wasted no time getting into Chelsea's playing XI. Mata received the number 10 shirt from Yossi Benayoun and bossed the Chelsea midfield for the next two years.
In his debut season, Mata scored 12 goals and provided 20 assists for Chelsea. It was his corner that led to Didier Drogba’s equalizer in the 2012 Champions League final against Bayern Munich. Chelsea eventually won the game on penalties.
The next season, he upped the ante for the Blues and ended up pitching in with 19 goals and 36 assists across all competitions.
After Jose Mourinho’s appointment in 2013, Mata lost his place to Oscar and eventually joined Manchester United for €46 million.
#4 Willian - 62 assists
Chelsea have signed some gifted individuals over the years, but very few have served the club as diligently and tirelessly as Willian did. The Blues signed the winger from Anzhi Makhachkala in the summer of 2013 for €35.5 million. The Brazilian impressed at Chelsea with his quick feet, blistering pace and close control.
Primarily deployed as a winger at Chelsea, Willian was exceptional at putting lucrative crosses into the area. He was also great at free-kicks. Willian used to add just the right amount of power and curl into his strikes, which almost always troubled the keepers.
Out of the 63 goals he scored for Chelsea between 2013 and 2020, 12 came from free-kicks.
Willian’s great crossing ability and linkup play made sure he was never too far away from an assist or two.
Over the course of his career, Willian popped up with 62 assists, which is rather impressive for a player often bogged down with defensive duties.
#3 Didier Drogba - 87 assists
Didier Drogba, who served Chelsea for nine illustrious seasons, is arguably the best forward the club has ever had. Drogba was one of the few footballers who had the audacity of wearing their heart on their sleeves, and the fans loved him for it. The Ivorian was fast, he was furious, and he was unmistakably Blue.
Chelsea secured Drogba’s services from Ligue 1 side Marseille in the summer of 2004 for €38.5 million. He fired blanks in his first two games for Chelsea, but scored a thumping header against Crystal Palace to open his account for the Blues.
Over the course of his Chelsea career, Drogba added 163 more to his tally.
Goalscoring was Drogba’s most prominent trait, but that was not the only thing he brought to the table. He also had a knack for picking out his team-mates and often popped up with crucial assists.
The Ivory Coast icon registered 87 assists in 381 games for Chelsea.
#2 Eden Hazard - 92 assists
Former Chelsea star Eden Hazard is arguably the most skillful player to have ever worn the famous Blue of the west London club. Signed from Lille in 2012, Hazard was an exceptional dribbler during his time at Chelsea and could leave any defender in the dust.
Thanks to his low center of gravity, Hazard possessed exceptional ball control in his Chelsea days and rarely lost the ball under pressure. When assigned a free role, Hazard was often Chelsea’s most potent scorer as well as their best creator.
The Belgium skipper spent seven seasons at Stamford Bridge, making a total of 352 appearances across all competitions. He scored 110 goals and provided 92 assists, averaging 0.57 goal contributions per match.
#1 Frank Lampard - 150 assists
Frank Lampard is the most legendary Chelsea icon of the 21st century. He gave the club an edge even against the biggest teams, regularly producing moments of individual brilliance.
Chelsea signed Lampard from West Ham United in the summer of 2001. The €16 million-purchase was slotted into the starting XI right away and featured in 37 Premier League matches that season.
Lampard’s debut season pretty much set the tone for the entirety of his Chelsea career. Right up to his final season in 2013-14, Lampard was ever-present, acting as the heart and soul of the great football club.
The central midfielder was an exceptional reader of the game and had a knack for hitting the back of the net. He led more counter-attacks than one can count and was often a one-man show.
Possessing the ability to dribble, score and assist, Lampard has gone down as Chelsea's best goalscorer in the 21st century. He's also the club's record goalscorer along with assist-giver. In 648 appearances for the club, Lampard scored 211 goals and registered 150 assists.
