The 2004/05 Chelsea squad made history for the Blues, as they won the Premier League title and became champions of England for the first time in 50 years.
Jose Mourinho came to Stamford Bridge as European champion with Porto and set up a superb defensive side who conceded just 15 league goals that season, winning the title in April with plenty of time to go. to lose.
But where are the members of this team now? 90 mins take a look …
Petr Cech (35 applications): The Czech Republic plug signed in the summer of 2004 from Rennes and was immediately installed as number one by Mourinho. He has conceded just 13 goals this season, keeping 24 clean sheets, a record that still stands today. Cech is now a technical and performance adviser at Stamford Bridge, but also serves as an emergency goalkeeper for the first team despite his retirement in 2019.
Carlo Cudicini (3 applications): The Italian was a fan favorite before this season as a number one, but he lost his place in the squad. Cudicini has only made three appearances in the league as Chelsea headed for the title and is now the technical coach of the club’s lending player.
Lenny Pidgeley (1 sub-app): Pidgeley was eliminated as a substitute after the title had already ended. He retired in 2018 due to mental health issues and now lives a quiet life away from football.
Glen Johnson (16 applications): Before becoming England’s first choice right-back, Johnson was in Chelsea’s squad winning titles. He retired in 2018 after his Stoke contract was not renewed and now spends his time reminiscing on Instagram and playing golf. Okay for some, init?
Paulo Ferreira (29 applications): The Portuguese full-back followed Porto’s Mourinho and was the first pick in the best defense in Premier League history. He now works for the club as a technical advisor to players on loan and is currently studying for his coach badges, in addition to acting as a club ambassador.
Wayne Bridge (15 apps): The England defender was a replacement option for Mourinho this season, but he has made a decent number of appearances with the left-back. These days, Bridge is a stay-at-home dad as his pop-star wife Frankie continues to tour the world (well, not now, obviously).
William Gallas (28 applications): The Frenchman was essential in this team at the left-back before falling out with the club and leaving for Arsenal. After touring London and performing in Australia, he retired in 2014 and is now teasing a new project on Instagram – although it’s unclear what that project is.
Robert Huth (10 applications): Prior to his incredible title triumph with Leicester, Huth was a Premier League champion with Chelsea as a center-back. He retired in January 2019 due to a battle with injuries and is now a defensive coach for the German National Under-21 team.
Ricardo Carvalho (25 applications): The Portuguese defender was another who followed Porto’s Mourinho and he formed a rock solid defensive partnership with John Terry. He has become one of the best defenders in Premier League history and is now deputy manager of André Villas-Boas at Ligue 1 club Marseille.
John Terry (36 applications): Captain, leader, legend. Chelsea’s best defender was the rock at the back. After retiring from Aston Villa, he became deputy manager and still is there.
Célestine Babayaro (4 applications): Babayaro was nearing the end of his Chelsea career this season, but has still made a handful of appearances. He now works as a football agent.
Steven Watt (1 sub-application) and Nuno Morais (2 sub-applications): Both youngsters made appearances after the title ended for Chelsea. Watt is now the manager of Hythe Town in the Isthmian League’s Southeast Division, while Morais retired in 2019 as the record holder appearance for the Cypriot side APOEL.
Claude Makelele (36 apps): One of the best defensive midfielders of all time cemented that reputation under Mourinho as a regular starter. After a stint at the helm of Ligue 1 club Bastia and the Belgian squad of Eupen, Makelele returned to Stamford Bridge in 2019 as a youth coach and technical mentor.
Alexei Smertin (16 applications): A highly rated Russian international, Smertin joined as a seasoned pro before Mourinho arrived but never really started in Blue. He made enough appearances for a medal in this campaign, however! He now works for the Russian Federation in two roles, as director of regional and international policies and also as head of anti-discrimination and racism. Not sure he’s doing the best of his job.
Jiri Jarosik (14 applications): The Czech Republic midfielder signed in January of the same season and Jarosik made 14 appearances before leaving the club the following summer. He is back in his homeland now as manager of Celje.
Scott Parker (4 applications): The young England international didn’t make much of an impression under Mourinho at Chelsea, but he continued to have a more than decent career in the Premier League. Now the manager of Fulham, West London rival.
Tiago (34 apps): Mourinho brought in a compatriot to help bolster the midfield and performed well, memorable scoring a screamer against Manchester United. After serving as Diego Simeone’s assistant at Atletico Madrid after his retirement, he recently stepped down as manager of Portugal’s Vitoria Guimaraes after a bad spell in charge.
Geremi (13 applications): Geremi was a team player throughout his time at Chelsea, but still secured a Premier League medal for his hard work. After his retirement, he became president of SYNAFOC, the National Union of Cameroonian Footballers.
Frank Lampard (38 apps): We all know who Frank Lampard is and what Frank Lampard is doing now. The club’s all-time top scorer was this season’s top scorer and scored the title-winning goals against Bolton. Now runs a West London club.
Felipe Oliveira (1 sub-application) and Anthony Grant (1 sub-application): Two other youngsters to whom Mourinho gave a few minutes after winning the title, Oliveira is retired but Grant still plays for Swindon Town in League One.
Joe Cole (28 applications): Arguably England’s most skillful player of his generation, Mourinho made sure Cole did the hard work as a winger alongside him. After retiring from the game in 2018, Cole is now a youth coach and expert for BT Sport.
Damien Duff (30 apps): One of the most underrated members of Mourinho’s title-winning squad, Duff has been the top pick for the entire season. He recently resigned as coach of the Republic of Ireland national team, having spent less than a year in that role.
Arjen Robben (18 applications): The legendary winger’s stay in London was marred with injuries, but he is still remembered at Stamford Bridge. After retiring in 2019 from Bayern Munich, Robben made a remarkable comeback at his home club, FC Groningen, last year and still plays in the Eredivisie.
Mateja Kezman (25 applications): Kezman arrived in the Premier League with a reputation as a clinical scorer, but he fell short of expectations and left after just one season. Since his retirement, Kezman has grown into an agent and represents much-loved Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
Eidur Gudjohnsen (37 applications): Gudjohnsen was the striker with the most appearances during this campaign under Mourinho. Is now the assistant coach of the Icelandic national team.
Didier Drogba (26 apps): The legendary Ivorian striker won the Premier League in his first season in England but it will be a few years before he sees him at his best. He retired in 2018 after a stint with the American club Phoenix Rising, which he has partly retired.
Adrian Mutu (2 sub-applications): Mutu made two appearances before falling out with Mourinho over whether or not he was actually injured. He was banned from football in September for failing a drug test and was sacked by the club. He is now the manager of the Romanian Under-21 team. To move on …
Mikael Forssell (1 sub-application): A highly rated prospect on the day, the Finland striker made a cameo appearance for the first team after returning from loan with Birmingham after suffering an injury. He is now an attacking coach in Finland with the youth team of HJK Helsinki.
