On Saturday 23 February 2026, James Milner played his 654th game in the Premier League, during Brighton & Hove Albion’s win over Brentford. Now 40, his record-breaking appearance came 24 years after his top-flight debut for Leeds United in 2002, aged 16.

That saw him surpass the previous record set by Gareth Barry, but which players have made the most appearances for Chelsea in the Premier League? Find out below, as we count them down to our own club-record holder…

10. Willian – 234 appearances

The Brazilian winger was already a fans’ favourite before he even kicked a ball, after snubbing Tottenham Hotspur to join Chelsea. His standing with the supporters only went up from there, as he won two Premier League titles among his five trophies with the Blues, and was voted Chelsea Player of the Year in 2016. Willian’s eye for the spectacular was also demonstrated when he won our Goal of the Season award in 2017/18.

9. Eden Hazard – 245 appearances

A strong contender for the most talented player ever to represent Chelsea, Hazard’s seven years at Stamford Bridge brought a host of trophies and individual honours. His four Chelsea Player of the Year awards remains a record and he was a crucial figure in the Premier League triumphs of 2014/15 and 2016/17. All of which was achieved with style and a smile, making him one of the most popular players in Blues history.

8. John Mikel Obi – 249 appearances

The Nigerian midfielder spent over a decade with Chelsea and won every major honour available at Stamford Bridge, proving himself a valuable presence in the centre of the pitch even as those around him changed. Always a reliable man for the big occasion, his most famous moment came in his brilliant 2012 UEFA Champions League final performance, but he also played his part in two Premier League title-winning campaigns.

7. Didier Drogba – 254 appearances

No foreign player has scored more Premier League goals for Chelsea than Drogba, and only one full stop has netted more than his 104 in that competition for the Blues. An impressive 29 of those came in our Double-winning 2009/10 campaign, which remains the highest number of league goals scored by a Chelsea player in a single season, and contributed to the third of his four titles across two spells at the Bridge.

5= Branislav Ivanovic – 261 appearances

Jose Mourinho once claimed Ivanovic’s bloody boot should go on display in our Academy to show the dedication it takes to succeed at the highest level. It certainly summed up the warrior’s spirit the Serbian brought to our defence, excelling at centre-back and right-back over the years, and gaining a reputation for popping up at the other end of the pitch to score crucial goals in the biggest moments.

5= Dennis Wise – 261 appearances

A popular captain whose name can still regularly be heard being sung inside Stamford Bridge, despite having departed the Blues before Milner had made his senior debut. His character helped blend together an English core with an influx of foreign newcomers to these shores during a period of rebuilding and modernisation at Chelsea. Known for his fiery approach to the game, Wise’s talent on the ball was never overlooked by those at the Bridge.

4. Petr Cech – 333 appearances

Cech is the only goalkeeper to make the top 10, but that probably has something to do the Czech stopper’s longevity. He arrived just in time to guard our net in our first Premier League-winning campaign in 2004/05 and would remain at the Bridge for 11 years. Big Pete’s 24 Premier League clean sheets for Chelsea that season remains a competition record, while he is the only goalkeeper to keep more than 200 clean sheets in the competition overall.

3. Cesar Azpilicueta – 349 appearances

No foreign player has made more appearances for Chelsea, in the Premier League or overall, than Azpilicueta. The Spaniard was our Mr Reliable, one of the most dependable and consistent players in our history. No matter his position, the formation or our head coach, he always performed. He joined an elite group of outfield players to have featured in every minute for a title-winning team in the Premier League, in 2016/17, before being made club captain in 2019.

2. Frank Lampard – 429 appearances

Lampard’s 13-year Chelsea career made him another strong contender for the title of our greatest-ever player. Certainly few have had such an impact on our record books. Of our all-time highest scorer’s 211 goals for the Blues, a record 147 came in the Premier League, a number that includes the goal which sealed our first Premier League title, away at Bolton Wanderers in 2005. Super Frank’s consistency was unquestionable, as he appeared in a record 164 consecutive Premier League games, not missing a single league fixture for the Blues in over four years, between October 2001 and December 2005.

1. John Terry – 492 appearances

Our captain, leader, legend’s tally of nearly 500 Premier League appearances for Chelsea may never be beaten, such was the length of his time at the Bridge and the consistently high level at which he performed for nearly two decades. The Blues’ most successful captain of all time lifted the Premier League trophy on five occasions and he is recognised as the highest-scoring defender in Premier League history with 41 goals, all of which were scored for Chelsea.