The best XI in Chelsea history

As Chelsea celebrate their 120th anniversary, the club invited their fans to help create the ultimate lineup. The Blues have had some remarkable players who have elevated the club to the pinnacle of European and world football.

In goal, it can only be Petr Cech. The Czech goalkeeper played 494 matches for Chelsea – the second-most appearances by any goalkeeper, behind Bonetti – and won one Champions League, one Europa League, four Premier League titles, four FA Cup titles, three EFL Cup titles and two Community Shield titles between 2004, when he arrived from Rennes, and 2015, when he moved to Arsenal.

The defence includes Ashley Cole, Thiago Silva, John Terry and Cesar Azpilicueta – four players who have defined the Blues era, particularly during Roman Abramovich's reign.

Ashley Cole is the sixth-highest defender in terms of appearances in Chelsea's history, with 338. A winner of one Champions League, one Europa League, one Premier League, four FA Cups, one EFL Cup and one Community Shield, the left-back joined from Arsenal in 2006 and spent eight seasons at Stamford Bridge.

The other full-back spot goes to Cesar Azpilicueta, the last great captain of the Blues. With 508 appearances, he ranks third among defenders for matches played and has won one Champions League, two Europa League titles, one UEFA Super Cup, one Club World Cup, two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and one EFL Cup during his 11-year tenure.

The centre-back pairing consists of John Terry and Thiago Silva. Terry is the player with the most appearances for Chelsea, having played 717 times. Alongside Lampard, he formed the backbone of Chelsea's greatest team of the 21st century. Silva, meanwhile, has only been at the club for four seasons, but he has won the affection of the fans after leading them to Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup victories.

In midfield, the player who immediately comes to mind when one thinks of Chelsea is Frank Lampard. The playmaker, capable of organising the game from midfield and scoring goals, is the second-most capped player in the club's history (648 appearances) and the team's all-time top scorer (210 goals). His statistics reflect the legend he has become.

Alongside him are two midfield powerhouses. Claude Makelele was the player every manager wanted during the Mourinho era, while N'Golo Kante has been the same in recent years, just before his move to Saudi Arabia.

For the forwards, Chelsea fans turned to nostalgia, picking one of the greatest players not only in Chelsea's history but also in Italian football – Gianfranco Zola, who played for the club from 1997 to 2003, just before Abramovich's arrival.

Leading the line with him is Didier Drogba, who immediately springs to mind for all Chelsea fans when discussing the attack. The Ivorian is the greatest forward in their history and the club's second-highest all-time scorer, behind Frank Lampard.

The magic linking the midfield and attack is embodied in the boots of Eden Hazard. Though his best form hasn't been seen since he departed from Stamford Bridge, he was considered by many to be the best player in the world during his time at Chelsea, if not for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.