German international captain Michael Ballack, signed on a free transfer on the 15 th May, 2006, from German champions Bayern München. He is the German international captain, taking over from Oliver Kahn after the appointment of Jürgen Klinsmann as international coach.
The all action midfielder made his Bundesliga début for Chemnitz in 1997, against Karlsruhe . He went on to score 10 goals in 49 appearances. His first Bundesliga goal however, came for FC Kaiserslautern in October 1998, against Hansa Rostock. It was one of 4 goals that he scored in 46 games for Kaiserslautern , en route to winning the 1998 Bundesliga title.
Ballack is renowned for his ability to play in both a defensive and an attacking capacity, even playing as far back as sweeper, where he has been likened to the German great, Franz Beckenbauer. For the national team, Ballack averages almost a goal every other game from 63 caps, a scoring ratio that can compete with some of the worlds best strikers. There is much more to his game than arriving in the box to score goals. He can play 40 yard passes from deep, as well as track back to tackle and protect his defenders. His dribbling can unlock the best of defences, whilst his long range shooting is deadly if he is given space to line a shot up. Perhaps a slightly underrated element of his game is his aerial ability. He scores many of his goals from crosses, free kicks and corners, that is, when he isn’t taking them himself.
It was Otto Rehagel, of Greece Euro 2004 fame, that signed Ballack for FC Kaiserslautern in 1997. He made 16 appearances that season, as Kaiserslautern became Bundesliga champions of 1998, making history as the first newly promoted side to win the German League. German football magazine “kicker,” gave newcomer Ballack a mark of 2.94 for the season, an above average score. The following season, he made 20 appearances as FC Kaiserslautern made it all the way to the quarter finals of the Champions League, only to be knocked out by his future employers, Bayern München. He scored 4 goals during the season.
On 1 July, 1999, Michael Ballack signed for Bayer Leverkusen, for 8m German Marks. It would prove to be a great investment. In three seasons, he scored 27 goals from 79 games, helped them to the Champions League Final of 2001, that ultimately ended in defeat to Real Madrid, as well as being runners up in the Bundesliga twice and losing German Cup Finalists. It was no surprise when Bayern München came knocking.
It took a fee of 6m Euros to prise Ballack away from Leverkusen . At this stage he was Europe ’s top scoring midfield player and he rejected a move to Real Madrid in the process. He played 107 games for Bayern, scoring 44 goals, improving his goal ratio further still. He won the:
2003 DFB Cup
2003 Bundesliga
2004 German League Cup
2005 DFB Cup
2005 Bundesliga
2006 DFB Cup
2006 Bundesliga
Despite his multiple domestic titles and being the runner up in the 2002 World Cup, although he was suspended for the final, one thing that has eluded Ballack is European club football success. He moves to Chelsea looking to obtain glory in Europe and perhaps the biggest trophy of them all, the one with big ears, the UEFA Champions League.
He won the UEFA Best Midfielder in Europe award in 2002 and the German Player of the Year in 2002, 2003 and 2005. He will lead Germany into the 2006 World Cup and is the host nation’s only truly world class player at the present time.
He joins Chelsea looking to add an English Premier League Title to his impressive collection of medals, but glory in Europe is the main draw card and one of the primary reasons for Chelsea ’s signing of the German captain. He will face competition from Michael Essien and Lassana Diarra in the upcoming season, but for Ballack, success comes naturally. Herr Ballack certainly chose the right place for that to continue.

Ivorian forward Salomon Kalou was signed to a three year deal by Chelsea, on the 30th May, 2006, becoming the second new addition of the summer after Michael Ballack. The 20 year old speed machine, was hoping to play for Holland in the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals, but his dreams were shattered after the Dutch Minister for Immigration denied him the Dutch citizenship that would allow Kalou to represent Holland this summer. He has since decided to represent his country of birth, Côte d’Ivoire (the Ivory Coast), a team that includes his brother Bonaventure Kalou.
Salomon Kalou has played most of his club football for Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Dutch Eredivise, with the exception of his first full season, where, after two games for Feyenoord, he was loaned out to Eerste Divisie (the Dutch second tier) side Excelsior, also of Rotterdam. During the 2003-2004 season at Excelsior, he scored 4 goals in 11 appearances, turning 18 during the season. Kalou originally joined Feyenoord when he was just 15; his brother Bonaventure, now of Paris-St Germain and previously Auxerre, was already at the Rotterdam club.
Born on the 5th August, 1985 in Oumé, Côte d’Ivoire, Salomon Kalou is an incredibly quick striker, who can play centrally, on either flank or as a second striker and can quite easily outrun defenders and finish off through balls. He also has the dribbling ability to take on fullbacks and is highly rated by those that matter, hence Dutch coach Marco van Basten’s attempt to obtain Kalou Dutch citizenship before the World Cup, a move supported by Dutch footballing legend Johan Cruyff.
For the 2004-2005 season, the still raw forward returned from his loan spell, to play his first full Eredivisie season, with Feyenoord. He played a total of 31 games, scoring 20 goals, a hugely impressive tally for someone in their first top flight season. Another good season and some of the bigger sides would come knocking. The likes of Tottenham Hotspur were expressing interest, but a move at that stage of his career would surely be more hindrance than help.
During 2005, Salomon Kalou received the “Johan Cruyff Award,” for the best young player in Dutch football. After 35 Eredivisie appearances in 2005-2006, Kalou finished with 15 goals, down on the previous seasons tally. Côte d’Ivoire coach Henri Michel, wanted to add Kalou to his squad, but, having already been guaranteed a spot in the Holland World Cup squad by Marco van Basten, Salomon applied for Dutch citizenship.
When Côte d’Ivoire was drawn against Holland for the FIFA World Cup Finals group stages, the strange possibility of the two brothers playing against each other occurred. But, for Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk, it would have happened. After he was denied citizenship, Salmon Kalou expressed his desire to play for the country of his birth, alongside his brother, after the FIFA World Cup Finals.
José Mourinho’s desire to add Kalou to his squad wasn’t as public as most would expect with a new striker, with the Shevchenko saga consuming the headlines. Peter Kenyon had his eye on the Ivorian for quite a while, especially after Kalou was recommended by scouts.
After a total of 39 goals in 79 appearances in Dutch club football, Salomon Kalou signed for Chelsea, for a fee thought to be in the region of £5m.

Name: John erry

Nationality: English

Date and Place of Birth: Born December 7, 1980 in Barking, London, England

Playing Position: Defender

Current Club: Chelsea (English Premiership)

Club Career: 1998–present Chelsea

International Career: 2003–present - England - current England captain

About John Terry:
John George Terry was born in London, England on 7th December 1980 and was spotted by Chelsea while playing for a local Sunday League team. Terry joined the Chelsea youth system and soon flourished under the club’s coaching regime playing for both Chelsea’s Youth and Reserve teams as a midfielder. Due to a shortage of central defenders Terry was moved to centre-half the position which he commands to this day for both club and country. Terry made his first team debut for Chelsea on 28th October 1998 in a League Cup tie against Aston Villa. However, despite a promising start Terry became involved in an incident in a London nightclub and was charged with assault and afray. Terry was later cleared but during the controversy he had received a temporary ban and this effectively cost him a place in England’s 2002 World Cup squad. It was the 2001-2002 season when John Terry began to set his stamp in the Chelsea team as a regular fixture. He made 23 starts and was voted the club’s player of the year and had a taste of things to come when he was handed the captaincy for the first time. In the 2003-2004 season with Desailly out of the side Terry was handed the captaincy in his absence and established himself as a genuine contender for a first time place with strong defensive performances. When Desailly retired Terry was the obvious choice to take over as club captain and new Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho agreed and duly awarded him the captain’s armband. This led to a positive result with Chelsea lifting the FA Premier League title at the end of the 2004-2005 season with a lot of the success attributed to the well organised defence under the guidance of Terry. Terry, along with team mates Lampard and Cech, is widely recognised as one of the integral links in the clubs success with Terry emerging as the fans favourite as a home grown player who came through the ranks from the youth academy. This season controversy has brewed surrounding Terry’s future with the club as he has failed to agree new contract terms. Terry has laid many a fan’s worries to rest by publicly reiterating his loyalty to Chelsea and pledging his future to the club. Terry is the current captain of the England team cementing his place with convincing performances for club and country. He was part of the England 2006 World Cup squad and despite England being put out in the quarter-finals, Terry became the only English player to be named in the tournament's all-star squad.

Name: Frank James Lampard

Nationality: English

Date and Place of Birth: Born June 20, 1978 in Romford, England

Playing Position: Midfield

Current Club: Chelsea (English Premiership)

Club Career:
1994-2001 West Ham United-148 apps, 24 goals

1995-1996 Swansea City (loan) - 9 apps, 1 goal

2001–present Chelsea

International Career: 1999–present - England

About Frank Lampard:
Frank Lampard was born in England on 20th June 1978 into a family with an established footballing history. His father Frank Lampard was a former England fullback and two-time FA Cup winner with West Ham United and he is a nephew of Harry Redknapp, current manager of Portsmouth. Frank Lampard currently plays in midfield for Chelsea and is well renowned for his skills as an attacking midfielder. His attacking prowess makes him a prolific goal scorer for both club and country and his powerful long-range shots strike fear into the hearts of goalkeepers. Lampard began his career as a footballer with West Ham United as part of their youth system and signed as a professional in July 1995. Lampard got his debut with West Ham on 31st January 1996 however a broken leg effectively sidelined him for the season. The 1998-1999 season was a successful one for Lampard as he solidified his place as a regular in the West Ham team. Lampard along with other players such as Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand were the impetus for a West Ham revival. However when his uncle Harry Redknapp quit the club Lampard joined Chelsea for the sum of £11 million. Since his arrival at Chelsea Lampard has blossomed as a player and made the midfield role his own becoming widely recognised as one of the top players in Europe. His progress has continued to impress and in 2005 he was voted runner-up twice to Ronaldinho in both the European Footballer of the Year award and FIFA World Player of the Year award. When John Terry was suffered a back injury in the 2006-2007 season Lampard spent much of the campaign as Captain proving he had solidified his position as an integral part of the team. Lampard also holds the honour of being the highest scoring midfielder in Chelsea’s history having decimated Dennis Wise’s record of 76 goals. Lampard made his first appearance for the England on 10th October 1999 and when Paul Scholes retired he became a firm fixture in the national side scoring five goals in England’s World Cup qualifying campaign. Lampard was a part of the England squad that went to 2006 FIFA World Cup however he failed to impress at the tournament, a point that was widely discussed and debated in the English media. Lampard is widely regarded as one of England’s best home grown players and has succeeded in establishing himself as a household name not to be forgotten by England and Chelsea fans.

Name: Andriy Shevchenko

Nicknames: Sheva, Shevagol, The Eastern Wind, Wind of Passion

Nationality: Ukrainian

Date and Place of Birth: Playing Position: Striker

Current Club: Chelsea (English Premiership)

Club Career History:

1994-1999 Dynamo Kiev

1999-2006 A.C. Milan

2006-present Chelsea

International Career: 1995-present Ukraine

About Andriy Shevchenko:
Andriy Shevchenko began his sporting career as a competitive boxer but he was forced to abandon the sport in his early years due to his size and stature and thus began his illustrious footballing career. Shevchenko developed his talents in his early days through the youth system at Dynamo Kiev and he made his debut for the first team in the 1993-1994 season helping Dynamo to their second successive league victory. Shevchenko excelled at Dynamo and this is evidenced by the fact that he won the League title in each of his five seasons at the club. Shevchenko became a key member of the first team and flourished as one of Dynamo’s best players. In 1999 Shevchenko made a high profile move to Italian side AC Milan with a price tag of a cool £26 million. Shevchenko made his debut in Serie A in August 1999 and managed to score 24 league goals in 32 matches thereby collecting the Serie A scoring title with ease. Despite Shevchenko’s impressive goal tally AC Milan did not win any silverware until the 2002-2003 season when the won both the Serie A and the Champions League. Shevchenko became a hero at AC Milan and he is their second all time goalscorer being out scored only by the legendary Gunnar Nordahl. In May 2006 Shevchenko realised the fears of the AC Milan faithful when he announced he was leaving the club. He signed for Chelsea in late May 2006 for an undisclosed fee which is rumoured to be between £30 million and £56 million. Shevchenko scored his first goal for Chelsea on 13th August 2006 but has found himself suffering from a scoring drought in the English Premiership leaving many believing that he may not be totally happy in England. Shevchenko’s talents have also been widely recognised in the international field where he plays for the Ukraine national side. Currently he has amassed 71 caps and 33 goals for his country and was recently an instrumental part of the team that competed in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. 29 September 1976 in Dvirkivschyna, Ukraine

Name: Didier Drogba

Nationality: Ivory Coast

Date and Place of Birth: March 11, 1978 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Playing Position: Striker

Current Club: Chelsea (English Premiership)

Club Career: 1998-2002 Le Mans
2002-2003 En Avant Guingamp
2003-2004 Olympique de Marseille
2004-present Chelsea

International Career: 2002-present Ivory Coast

About Didier Drogba:
Born on the Ivory Coast in 1978 Didier Drogba has succeeded in establishing himself as one of the best strikers in current European football. His clinical finishing ability and powerhouse performances have earned Drogba moves to some of Europe's major clubs and he has most recently been linked with Italian giants AC Milan and Spanish galacticos Real Madrid. Drogba’s early childhood years were spent between the Ivory Coast and France and it was in France that Drogba began to play football. Drogba signed for a local French side and soon began to display the talent and ability that would catapult him into the ranks of Europe's elite in future years. Drogba began his professional career at Le Mans in 1998 and his potential was soon noted by En Avant Guingamp who secured his signature in 2002. Drogba was now plying his trade and his talents at the top level of French football. At Guingamp Drogba formed an effective and deadly partnership with team mate Florent Malouda and his success on the pitch led to a move to one of France's biggest clubs, Olympique de Marseille. At Marseille Drogba established himself as a consistent goalscorer and his abilities soon attracted interest from some of Europe's major clubs. Drogba's hard working ethic on the pitch and his natural skill and talent earned him a move to English Premiership side Chelsea in 2004. At Chelsea Drogba has succeeded in stamping his authority on the English game becoming one of the top goalscorers in the League. Recently Drogba has received an accolade of awards such as the Ivorian Player of the Year and the African Footballer of the Year beating off competition from players such as Barcelona’s Samuel Eto'o and Chelsea team mate Michael Essien. Didier Drogba plays his international football for the Ivory Coast national team and was one the major factors in helping his country qualify for their first ever World Cup Finals in 2006.

Stamford Bridge Stadium..

Chelsea Trophy Cabinet

Club Honours

League:
Division 1 - Champions 1954-55; Premier League - Champions 2004-05, 2005-06 (3 titles); Runners-up 2003-04; Div 2 - Champions 1983-84, 1988-89; Runners-up 1906-07, 1911-12, 1929-30, 1962-63, 1976-77.

FA Cup:
Winners 1970, 1997, 2000, 2007; Runners-up 1915, 1967, 1994, 2002.

League Cup:
Winners 1965, 1998, 2005, 2007; Runners-up 1972.

Europe:
UEFA Champions League: Semi-finalists 2004, 2005. European Cup-Winners' Cup: Winners 1971, 1998. European Super Cup: Winners 1999.c

Chelsea Factfile

Manager: Avram Grant

Founded: 1905

Ground: Stamford Bridge

Address: Fulham Road, London, SW6 1HS

Capacity: 42500

Highest gate: 82,905 v Arsenal (Div 1) 1912

2007/2008 Competitions:
The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON , Carling Cup , Barclays Premier League , UEFA Champions League , FA Community Shield , Friendly Match

Chelsea Squad

Goalkeeper:
1 Petr Cech 23 Carlo Cudicini 40 Henrique Hilario

Defender:
18 Wayne Bridge 20 Paulo Ferreira 22 Tal Ben Haim

26 John Terry 3 Ashley Cole 33 Alex da Costa

35 Juliano Belletti 51 Sam Hutchinson 6 Ricardo Carvalho

Midfielder:
12 Mikel Obi 13 Michael Ballack 15 Florent Malouda

4 Claude Makelele 42 Lee Sawyer 48 Michael Woods

5 Michael Essien 8 Frank Lampard 9 Steven Sidwell

Attacking Midfielder:
10 Joe Cole 24 Shaun Wright-Phillips

Striker:
11 Didier Drogba 14 Claudio Pizarro

17 Scott Sinclair 21 Salomon Kalou

7 Andriy Shevchenko

On Loan:
- James Simmonds (to Cardiff City)
- Ryan Bertrand (to Oldham)
- Ben Sahar (to Queens Park Rangers)
- Michael Mancienne (to Queens Park Rangers)
- Jack Cork (to Scunthorpe)
- Khalid Boulahrouz (to Sevilla)