Chelsea has evolved into one of the powerhouses of English and European football in recent history and a number of Nigerian stars have made varying amounts of contributions to the Blues’ meteoric rise over the years.
In this article, Footynaija.com takes a look at five Super Eagles stars (both past and present), who have donned the beautiful blue of the West Londoners and helped the club attain their enviable status as one of the few English teams to enjoy Premier League and European glory in recent years.
5. Kenneth Omeruo
Omeruo spent seven long years on the books of the West London giants after joining from Belgian Pro League side Standard Liege. However, the versatile defender failed to make a single appearance for Chelsea, spending each of his seven seasons as a Blues player away on loan. He had loan stints at clubs like ADO Den Hag, Middlesbrough, Kasimpasa, Alanyaspor and Leganes before eventually sealing a permanent move to the Spanish club in 2019. Omeruo is currently a CFR Cluj player after signing for the Romanian giants as a free agent last week.
4. Ola Aina
Aina, who joined Chelsea’s Cobham Academy setup before he turned 11 years old, rose through the ranks all the way up to the first team. Before breaking into the first team, Aina made his name with the Blues’ youth team setup, impressing at different age-group levels. He made his senior debut in the 16/17 season but only managed six appearances that season, featuring thrice in the Premier League, once in the FA Cup and twice in the EFL Cup. After loan spells at Hull City and Torino, Aina switched to the Serie A club permanently in 2019.
3. Celestine Babayaro
Babayaro joined Chelsea in April 1997 for a then-record £2.25 million fee for a teenager. He debuted in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup but missed the rest of his first season due to injury, including Chelsea’s 1998 Football League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners Cup triumphs. Over seven years, he won the UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup, and Charity Shield, and played a key role in their 1999/2000 Champions League run. Babayaro made 197 appearances for the Blues and was known for his backflip celebrations.
2. Victor Moses
Moses joined Chelsea from Wigan Athletic in 2012 following a drawn-out transfer saga. His first season with the Blues culminated in a Europa League triumph but he was forced to spend the next three years on loan at Liverpool, Stoke City and West Ham United respectively. The winger returned to Chelsea in the 16/17 season after his three-year sojourn and earned a place in Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 system. That year, he featured prominently as a right wing-back as Chelsea went on to win the Premier League. He scored 18 goals in 128 outings and hauled one Premier League and FA Cup title each as well as two Europa League crowns.
1. John Mikel Obi
The most successful Nigerian player in Chelsea’s history, Mikel spent eleven memorable years at Stamford Bridge and played a huge role in their emergence as one of England’s top clubs in the 21st century. He made 372 appearances for the Blues and scored six goals. His enviable trophy haul at Stamford Bridge include two Premier League titles (09/10, 14/15), four FA Cups (06/07, 08/09, 09/10, 11/12), two League Cups (06/07, 14/15), one FA Community Shield (2009), one UEFA Champions League (11/12) and one UEFA Europa League (12/13).