Chelsea’s African legacy
Chelsea's Michael Essien, Didier Drogba, John Obi Mikel and Salomon Kalou
Chelsea, Bayern in epic clash
Chelsea’s African brigade of Didier Drogba, John Obi Mikel, Salomon Kalou
and Michael Essien are all likely to play some part in Saturday night’s UEFA
Champions League final against Bayern Munich.
The quartet keeps alive a long tradition of players born in the continent who have represented the London club, one which began over 60 years ago.
The first African to represent Chelsea was defender Ralph Oelofse, who hailed from Johannesburg, South Africa. The centre-back made eight appearances in his time with the Blues from 1951 to ’53.
Since then, a further 15 players hailing from the African continent have represented the Blues in official fixtures.
Not all of the African-born players who have represented Chelsea have played football for the country of their birth, for example Marcel Desailly and Claude Makelele enjoyed long and distinguished international careers with France despite hauling from Ghana and DR Congo respectively.
Of all the African-born players to have represented Chelsea, Drogba is by far the most prolific in terms of appearances and goals. In his 342 appearances for the Blues he has scored 157 goals, and earlier this year became the first African player to reach the 100-goal mark in the Barclays Premier League.
Drogba also holds the records for the most appearances (74) and goals (38) by an African in the UEFA Champions League. He surpassed the appearances record previously held by Ghanaian defender Sammy Kuffour in the semifinal tie against Barcelona.
All past and present Chelsea players born in Africa
South Africa
Ralph Oelofse (1951-53), 8 appearances, 0 goals
Derek Smethurst (1968-71), 19 appearances, 5 goals
(Smethurst became the first South African to win a major European Championship when in 1971 he picked up the European Cup Winners’ Cup at Chelsea)
Colin Viljoen (1980-82), 23 appearances, 0 goals – played for England
Roy Wegerle (1986-88), 28 appearances, 4 goals – played for USA
Mark Stein (1993-98), 63 appearances, 25 goals
Cameroon
Geremi (2003-07), 109 appearances, 4 goals
Uganda
Joel Kitamirike (2001-04), 1 appearance, 0 goals
Liberia
George Weah (2000), 15 appearances, 5 goals
DR Congo
Claude Makelele (2003-08), 144 appearances, 2 goals – played for France
Jose Bosingwa (2008-present), 124 appearances, 3 goals – plays for Portugal
Ghana
Marcell Desailly (1998-04), 222 appearances, 7 goals – played for France
Michael Essien (2005-present), 241 appearances, 25 goals
Nigeria
Celestine Babayaro (1997-05), 197 appearances, 8 goals
John Obi Mikel (2006-present), 240 appearances, 2 goals
Cote d’Ivoire
Didier Drogba (2004-present), 342 appearances, 157 goals
Salomon Kalou (2006-present), 245 appearances, 58 goals
The quartet keeps alive a long tradition of players born in the continent who have represented the London club, one which began over 60 years ago.
The first African to represent Chelsea was defender Ralph Oelofse, who hailed from Johannesburg, South Africa. The centre-back made eight appearances in his time with the Blues from 1951 to ’53.
Since then, a further 15 players hailing from the African continent have represented the Blues in official fixtures.
Not all of the African-born players who have represented Chelsea have played football for the country of their birth, for example Marcel Desailly and Claude Makelele enjoyed long and distinguished international careers with France despite hauling from Ghana and DR Congo respectively.
Of all the African-born players to have represented Chelsea, Drogba is by far the most prolific in terms of appearances and goals. In his 342 appearances for the Blues he has scored 157 goals, and earlier this year became the first African player to reach the 100-goal mark in the Barclays Premier League.
Drogba also holds the records for the most appearances (74) and goals (38) by an African in the UEFA Champions League. He surpassed the appearances record previously held by Ghanaian defender Sammy Kuffour in the semifinal tie against Barcelona.
All past and present Chelsea players born in Africa
South Africa
Ralph Oelofse (1951-53), 8 appearances, 0 goals
Derek Smethurst (1968-71), 19 appearances, 5 goals
(Smethurst became the first South African to win a major European Championship when in 1971 he picked up the European Cup Winners’ Cup at Chelsea)
Colin Viljoen (1980-82), 23 appearances, 0 goals – played for England
Roy Wegerle (1986-88), 28 appearances, 4 goals – played for USA
Mark Stein (1993-98), 63 appearances, 25 goals
Cameroon
Geremi (2003-07), 109 appearances, 4 goals
Uganda
Joel Kitamirike (2001-04), 1 appearance, 0 goals
Liberia
George Weah (2000), 15 appearances, 5 goals
DR Congo
Claude Makelele (2003-08), 144 appearances, 2 goals – played for France
Jose Bosingwa (2008-present), 124 appearances, 3 goals – plays for Portugal
Ghana
Marcell Desailly (1998-04), 222 appearances, 7 goals – played for France
Michael Essien (2005-present), 241 appearances, 25 goals
Nigeria
Celestine Babayaro (1997-05), 197 appearances, 8 goals
John Obi Mikel (2006-present), 240 appearances, 2 goals
Cote d’Ivoire
Didier Drogba (2004-present), 342 appearances, 157 goals
Salomon Kalou (2006-present), 245 appearances, 58 goals
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