van_Nistelrooy
2025-06-05 19:44:11
Chelsea Players Who Wore Number 9 (1992–2025)
1. Tony Cascarino (1992–1994)
• Appearances: ~46 (estimated across all competitions during his Chelsea tenure)
• Minutes Played: Exact minutes unavailable; estimated ~3,500–4,000 minutes (based on ~46 matches, assuming ~80–90 minutes per start)
• Goals: 8
• Assists: Exact assists unavailable; estimated low (likely 0–3, as strikers from this era have limited assist records)
• Notes: Cascarino wore number 9 during the early 1990s. His goal tally is modest, reflecting Chelsea’s struggles in that period.
2. Mark Stein (1994–1996)
• Appearances: ~63 (across all competitions)
• Minutes Played: Exact minutes unavailable; estimated ~4,500–5,000 minutes
• Goals: 25
• Assists: Exact assists unavailable; estimated 5–10
• Notes: Stein was a reliable goalscorer for Chelsea in the mid-1990s, contributing significantly in the Premier League and cup competitions.
3. Gianluca Vialli (1996–1999)
• Appearances: 88
• Minutes Played: ~6,500–7,000 minutes (estimated, as he often played full matches but also had substitute appearances)
• Goals: 40
• Assists: ~15 (estimated based on his playmaking role)
• Notes: Vialli, a club legend, wore number 9 before becoming player-manager. His contributions included key goals in European and domestic cup competitions.
4. Chris Sutton (1999–2000)
• Appearances: 39
• Minutes Played: ~3,000 minutes (estimated)
• Goals: 3
• Assists: ~5 (estimated)
• Notes: Sutton’s single season at Chelsea was disappointing, with a low goal tally despite high expectations after his transfer from Blackburn Rovers.
5. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (2000–2004)
• Appearances: 177
• Minutes Played: ~14,000–15,000 minutes (estimated, based on regular starts)
• Goals: 87
• Assists: ~30 (estimated)
• Notes: Hasselbaink is considered the most successful number 9 in Chelsea’s modern history, winning the Premier League Golden Boot in 2000–01.
6. Mateja Kezman (2004–2005)
• Appearances: 41
• Minutes Played: ~2,500–3,000 minutes (many substitute appearances)
• Goals: 7
• Assists: ~5 (estimated)
• Notes: Kezman struggled to replicate his Eredivisie form, with a poor goal return for a striker.
7. Hernan Crespo (2005–2006)
• Appearances: 73 (over two seasons, including loan return)
• Minutes Played: ~5,000–5,500 minutes (estimated, factoring in rotations)
• Goals: 25
• Assists: ~10 (estimated)
• Notes: Crespo had a mixed spell, with a solid goal tally but inconsistent starts due to injuries and loans.
8. Khalid Boulahrouz (2006–2007)
• Appearances: 20
• Minutes Played: ~1,500–1,800 minutes (estimated, as a defender with limited starts)
• Goals: 0
• Assists: 0
• Notes: A defender wearing number 9, Boulahrouz’s stint was brief and unproductive in attack, contributing to the “curse” narrative.
9. Steve Sidwell (2007–2008)
• Appearances: 25
• Minutes Played: ~1,200–1,500 minutes (many substitute roles)
• Goals: 1
• Assists: ~2 (estimated)
• Notes: A midfielder, Sidwell’s time in the number 9 was another anomaly, with minimal impact.
10. Franco Di Santo (2008–2010)
• Appearances: 16
• Minutes Played: ~500–700 minutes (mostly substitute appearances)
• Goals: 0
• Assists: 0
• Notes: Di Santo failed to score in limited opportunities, marking a low point for the number 9.
van_Nistelrooy
2025-06-05 19:44:21
11. Fernando Torres (2011–2014)
• Appearances: 172
• Minutes Played: ~11,000–12,000 minutes (estimated, factoring in rotations and substitutions)
• Goals: 45
• Assists: ~35 (estimated)
• Notes: Torres, a record signing, underperformed relative to expectations, though he had iconic moments like the Champions League goal against Barcelona.
12. Radamel Falcao (2015–2016)
• Appearances: 12
• Minutes Played: ~500–600 minutes (mostly substitute roles)
• Goals: 1
• Assists: 0
• Notes: Falcao’s loan spell was marred by injuries and poor form, one of the worst number 9 performances.
13. Alvaro Morata (2017–2019)
• Appearances: 72
• Minutes Played: ~5,000–5,500 minutes (estimated)
• Goals: 24
• Assists: ~10 (estimated)
• Notes: Morata started strongly but faded due to injuries and inconsistency, later switching to number 29.
14. Gonzalo Higuain (2019, loan)
• Appearances: 18
• Minutes Played: ~1,200–1,400 minutes
• Goals: 5
• Assists: 0
• Notes: Higuain’s loan from Juventus was underwhelming, with minimal impact.
15. Tammy Abraham (2019–2021)
• Appearances: 82 (league matches, additional cup games included)
• Minutes Played: ~5,500–6,000 minutes (estimated)
• Goals: 30
• Assists: ~10 (estimated)
• Notes: Abraham, an academy graduate, performed well, breaking the record for the youngest Chelsea player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League.
16. Romelu Lukaku (2021–2022)
• Appearances: 44
• Minutes Played: ~3,000–3,500 minutes (estimated)
• Goals: 15
• Assists: ~5 (estimated)
• Notes: Lukaku’s second spell at Chelsea was disappointing, with off-field issues compounding his struggles.
17. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022–2023)
• Appearances: 21
• Minutes Played: ~1,000–1,200 minutes
• Goals: 3
• Assists: 1
• Notes: Aubameyang’s brief stint was unproductive, adding to the number 9 curse narrative.
18. Liam Delap (2025–present)
• Appearances: Data incomplete (season ongoing as of June 5, 2025)
• Minutes Played: Unavailable
• Goals: Unavailable
• Assists: Unavailable
• Notes: Delap was assigned the number 9 for the 2025/26 season, as announced on X. No full-season stats are available yet.