The Premier League era has been the most successful in the history of Chelsea Football Club. The Blues have thrived in the post-First Division period of the English game.
In the Premier League years, Chelsea has had some players who played vital roles in scoring goals to win games and, ultimately, titles.
However, who are Chelsea’s top goalscorers of the current era of English football?
Frank Lampard (147 goals in 429 Premier League appearances)
‘Super Frank’ as he is known by many of the Chelsea persuasion, is not just the club’s leading Premier League goalscorer but also the club’s record goalscorer of all time in all competitions.
Lampard joined Chelsea in 2001 from London rivals West Ham for around £11m. It proved to be money well spent, as the midfielder’s 147 top-flight goals helped the Blues to win three Premier League titles. He also played a part in the club’s first Champions League title in 2012.
Lampard later also featured for Manchester City in the Premier League and became the first midfielder in the modern era to score more than 150 goals in the English top flight.
After his retirement from playing, Lampard went into coaching and eventually management. He had two separate spells with the club from south west London as head coach, with a varying degree of success.
Didier Drogba (104 goals in 254 Premier League appearances)
Like Lampard, the big Ivorian forward is a Chelsea legend because of what he brought to the club. He is also considered to be a Premier League icon.
Drogba became Chelsea’s record signing on his arrival in 2004 when the Blues paid a fee of around £24m to sign him from French giants Marseille. He returned to the club for a second spell in season 2014/15.
The forward scored an impressive 104 goals in the English top-flight in his two spells with the club. His goals helped the Blues win the Premier League and FA Cup on four occasions apiece.
He also won the Champions League in 2012 in his short but sweet second spell with the club.
Drogba was named Chelsea Player of the Year in 2007 and 2010. He also won the Premier League Golden Boot in 2006/2007 and 2009/10.
Eden Hazard (85 appearances in 245 Premier League appearances)
The skilful Belgian winger shone with the Blues after making a £32million switch from French club Lille in 2012.
Hazard proved to be a crucial signing. His skill, creativity, and vision played a key role in Chelsea’s winning two Premier League titles in 2015 and 2017 and the UEFA League in 2013 and 2019, among other silverware.
The winger won several individual awards with the south west London club, including the club Player of the Year in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019. He also claimed the PFA Players’ Player of the Year in season 2014/15.
Hazard left Chelsea for Spanish giants Real Madrid in a deal worth a reported fee of €100 million, which could potentially rise to €146.1 million with add-ons.
The Belgian winger’s career in the Spanish capital was plagued with injury and fitness issues. He left Los Blancos in the summer of 2023 when his contract expired, and he officially retired from playing in October of the same year.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (69 goals in 136 Premier League appearances)
The Dutch forward arrived at Chelsea in 2000 from Atletico Madrid for a fee of £15m and spent four seasons leading the Chelsea frontline.
His most prolific campaigns for Chelsea in the Premier League were his first two seasons with the club, during which he scored 23 goals in each campaign in 35 appearances.
Unfortunately for Hasselbaink, he arrived at the club too early to participate in the Roman Abramovich revolution. Therefore, the only silverware he picked up while with the club was the FA Charity Shield 2000.
He did win the Premier League Golden Boot with the Blues in his first season with the club, though.
Gianfranco Zola (59 goals in 229 Premier League appearances)
The Italian magician is regarded as one of the most skilful players ever to grace a Premier League pitch. Zola joined the Blues from Parma for a fee of around £4.5m in November 1996.
During his playing career, he played the most games for Chelsea, featuring in 312 matches for the Blues over seven seasons across all competitions.
Zola won several pieces of silverware during his time with the south west London club, including the FA Cup in 1997 and 2000, the League Cup, and the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1998.
On an individual basis, Zola won the FWA Footballer of the Year Award in 1997 and Chelsea’s Player of the Year in 1999 and 2003.
Who are your favourite Chelsea players from our list of the club’s top Premier League goalscorers?