The greatest Chelsea XI of all time

Centre-backs

John Terry

John Terry is the most celebrated captain in Chelsea's history

Mourinho's teams are said to be strongly built around the defence, and John Terry was an important cog in Chelsea's backline during his spell at the club. The defender established himself as one of the best centre-backs during an illustrious 19-year career with the Blues.

With 713 appearances for the club, the Englishman held the armband for 578 games at Chelsea. Perhaps the most striking of his statistics is his unusual goal haul. After Roberto Carlos, John Terry has the most number of goals (66) as a defender. That tally is certainly down to his movement during corners and set-pieces.

A robust protector at the heart of the defence, Terry earned a reputation as a fearless defender on the pitch, apart from praises for his intelligent style of play at the back. And though he might boast a fair share of controversies off the field, he is one of the best defenders in the Premier League era, if not the best.

Ron Harris

Ron Harris made over 750 appearances

Collaborating with him at the back is Ron Harris, perhaps the greatest footballer ever to play for Chelsea. He pulled on the blue shirt for a record 795 times, making him the player with the highest number of appearances.

During his time with the club, Ron Harris earned the nickname 'Chopper', thanks to his hard tackling style. Back in the day though, it wasn't really infamous! The Englishman was well-reputed for his tough tackling and no-nonsense defending on the pitch.

Harris is truly a Chelsea great in many ways. He became the Chelsea captain to lift their first FA Cup and the European Championship trophy. Although the Londoners suffered relegation twice, the Englishman was true to his colours, staying with the outfit during their dark times.