"And it's super Chelsea
Super Chelsea F.C.
We're by far the greatest team...
The world has ever seen"
-Super Chelsea
Chelsea F.C. is a soccer club featured in the First Division of the English Premier League. Known affectionately by their fiercely loyal fans as the Blues, Chelsea has been a fixture in England for over one-hundred years.
Founded in 1905, the Blues have consistently fielded teams composed of soccer super-stars from at home and abroad, but were notorious for ineffective playing, winning there first club championship in 1955.
Chelsea has called
Stamford Bridge in Fulham, a neighborhood in south-west
London, home since the club was founded.
Chelsea has developed rivalries with a host of English clubs. Locally, full-hearted, passionate matches have been played with English clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal,
Liverpool and Manchester United, as well as international battles with FC Barcelona of the Spanish First Division, La Liga.
The current
Chelsea roster reads like a who's who guide to international soccer stars, accentuated with talents domestic and international. Heroes of the 2006 FIFA World Cup include international names such as
Ukraine's illustrious striker
Andriy Shevchenko,
Ghana midfielder Michael Essien and
Germany 's midfield maestro Michael Ballack. Domestic representatives include half backs Frank Lampard and Joe Cole, and rock solid defender John Terry.
Chelsea has achieved the dubious title of the team fans love to hate. Much like Major League Baseball's New York Yankees and George Steinbrenner,
Chelsea's owner Roman Abramovich, has invested millions into attracting the most talented players from around the world. However, Abramovich's $500M receipt is more than double that of Steinbrenner's New York Yankees.
Critics of
Chelsea have alluded to the fact that a payroll of soccer stars does not necessarily translate into results. Simply put, team chemistry cannot be purchased. Questions also surround the health of German National Team midfielder, Michael Ballack. The Blues' fans' hearts must have skipped a beat after being defeated in their early preseason appearance against the MLS All-Stars in July 2006 at
Toyota Park in
Chicago, Illinois.
Chelsea, although not winning their First Division title until 1955, have been perennial favorites for a variety of honors since the 1980s.
Chelsea has been crowned League Champions three times (1955, 2005 and 2006) and second division titles in 1984 and 1989. In 1955, 2000 and 2005,
Chelsea won the FA Charity/ Community Shield. The Blues were F.A. Cup winners in 1997 and 2005, as well as League Cup Winners in 1965, 1998 and 2005.
"Flying high, up in the sky,
We'll keep the blue flag flying high
From Stamford Bridge to Wemb(er)ley
We'll keep the blue flag flying high" -Blue Flag
Chants. 2006. Chelsea FC/ Sky Sports. 14 Sept 2006. www.chelseafc.com
History. 2006. Chelsea FC/ Sky Sports. 14 Sept 2006. www.chelseafc.com
The Club. 2006. Chelsea FC/ Sky Sports. 14 Sept 2006. www.chelseafc.com
Chelsea Club Profile. 2006. F.A. Premier League. 14 Sept 2006. www.premierleague.com
Chelsea Home. 2006. BBC. 14 Sept 2006. www.bbc.co.uk/sport
Ballack Has No Doubt Over Chelsea. BBC 12 May 2006. www.bbc.co.uk/sport
