Chelsea’s most famous European goals

Just like our list of best Champions League games, this longlist – it couldn’t be a shortlist! – is subjective and is bound to contain a few notable omissions.

But we have done our best to single out our most famous European goals…

Derek Smethurst v Man City, April 1971

The first goal on our list features an unlikely scorer. South African Derek Smethurst only played 18 times for Chelsea, finding the net on five occasions.

None was more important than his side-footed volley that gave us the upper hand in our Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final tie against holders Manchester City in April 1971.

John Dempsey v Real Madrid, May 1971

Peter Osgood may have scored in both the Cup Winners’ Cup final and then the replay, but it was defender John Dempsey’s spectacular first-time volley from a partially-cleared corner to put us ahead in Athens that stole the show.

‘Nine times out of ten that shot would go over the bar,’ Dempsey later recalled, ‘but I saw it again and thought to myself, “Oh my God, it nearly broke the net!”’ It was the goal of a lifetime and it helped us win our first continental prize.

John Spencer v Austria Vienna, November 1994

Collecting the ball on the edge of his own box from an Austria Vienna corner, wee John Spencer had almost an entire pitch to run into with not an opposition player, besides the goalkeeper, between him and the goal.

So, what did Spenny do? He ran. And he ran. And he ran some more. And, at the end of it, he still had the composure to dummy the keeper and clip the ball into an empty net.

Mark Hughes v Vicenza, April 1998

Mark Hughes had always been an outstanding volleyer of a football, and he showcased that ability just when we needed it with a goal required to progress past Vicenza in the Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final.

Hughes won the first header from a long Ed de Goey kick, spun his marker before firing a magnificent volley into the far corner to send the crowd into raptures, and Chelsea to Stockholm.

Gianfranco Zola v Stuttgart, May 1998

Gianfranco Zola netted his most famous Chelsea goal barely 20 seconds after entering the action.

Latching on to a Dennis Wise pass, Zola thumped an emphatic finish into the roof of the net to win the Blues the trophy. It was a moment of magic in a typically cagey European final.

Dennis Wise v AC Milan, October 1999

When a goal is still immortalised in song 25 years later, you know it must be pretty special.

At one of European football’s iconic grounds, the San Siro, in front of thousands of travelling Chelsea fans, Dennis Wise killed Roberto Di Matteo’s defence-splitting pass dead and ifred the ball through Christian Abbiati’s legs.

‘Ohhhhh Dennis Wise…’

Gianfranco Zola v Barcelona, April 2000

Surprisingly, Gianfranco had yet to score one of his trademark free-kicks during what had been an inconsistent campaign for the Italian magician.

He picked a brilliant time to change that, bending in a superb effort that left the tournament favourites reeling and kickstarted a glut of Chelsea goals in front of a disbelieving Stamford Bridge.

Wayne Bridge v Arsenal, April 2004

What a moment this was – and what a time to get one over our London rivals!

With the second leg of our Champions League quarter-final tie with Arsenal approaching an end, Wayne Bridge exchanged passes with Eidur Gudjohnsen and slotted past Jens Lehmann in front of the Clock End at Highbury.

John Terry v Barcelona, March 2005

In an all-time European epic, Chelsea were bowing out to Barcelona on away goals until captain JT intervened late on.

He guided a header from a corner goalwards and his centre-back partner Ricardo Carvalho did the rest, ensuring Victor Valdes could not dive to save it. Chelsea advanced 5-4 on aggregate, with Terry the hero.

Frank Lampard v Bayern Munich, April 2005

There have not been many better European goals scored by a Chelsea player than the one Frank Lampard summoned against Bayern Munich.

Controlling a lofted Claude Makelele pass with his chest, Lampard spun and in one movement sweetly half-volleyed past the great Oliver Kahn. It is unquestionably one of the very best of Lampard’s 211 goals for the Blues.

Frank Lampard v Barcelona, October 2006

He netted an even more audacious effort the following year. Some say it was a cross, but given what he had produced before, we are giving Super Frank the benefit of the doubt!

Lampard kept the ball in on the left side of the penalty area, near the byline, before swivelling and sending an audacious chip over the head of Valdes from an almost impossible angle. The Nou Camp was aghast, Chelsea were ecstatic.

Michael Essien v Valencia, April 2007

Speaking of tight angles, Michael Essien didn’t have much to aim at in the final minute of our Champions League quarter-final second leg against Valencia, but he somehow found a way through Santiago Canizares to win the tie. Limbs!

John Arne Riise own goal v Liverpool, April 2008

The only goal not scored by a Chelsea player in our list – and, like Wise’s effort, still commemorated in song today.

In stoppage time at the end of a typically titanic European battle with Liverpool in the 2000s, Salomon Kalou’s cross was headed into his own net by John Arne Riise in front of a disbelieving Kop, handing us a priceless away goal in the process.

Frank Lampard v Liverpool, April 2008

There can barely have been a more emotional goal at the Bridge. Playing his first game since the death of his mother a few days earlier, Lampard kept his composure to score from the spot and put us ahead in extra-time of the second leg of our Champions League tie with Liverpool.

There were tears in his eyes as he celebrated a huge goal, if one tinged with sadness.

Branislav Ivanovic (two goals) v Liverpool, April 2009

Branislav Ivanovic’s ‘two-goal’ moniker stemmed from this famous night at Anfield, when he powered a brace of headers past Pepe Reina either side of the break.

In a Champions League quarter-final, it was some way to announce for the tough Serbian defender to announce himself.

Michael Essien v Barcelona, May 2009

The brilliance of this blue bullet should not be overshadowed by what followed on a dramatic and ultimately heartbreaking night at the Bridge.

The ball looped up a good 25 yards from goal and Michael Essien met it with a left-footed volley so sweetly-struck it would have ripped the net out had it not crashed in off the underside of the crossbar.

Ramires v Barcelona, April 2012

As important as it was aesthetically pleasing, Ramires’ Nou Camp stunner is an easy inclusion on this list.

He raced on to Lampard’s perfectly weighted pass and without breaking stride, chipped Valdes from the right edge of the 18-yard box. Just when all seemed lost, Chelsea were back in this Champions League semi-final tie…

Fernando Torres v Barcelona, April 2012

…and we made sure of progression courtesy of a Fernando Torres breakaway goal that would make the top five of most Chelsea fans’ list of our iconic goals.

It seemed like the world stood still as he raced clear with not a Barca player in sight, before rounding his Spain team-mate Valdes and rolling the ball into the empty net.

Didier Drogba v Bayern Munich, May 2012

We sure needed a goal to keep our European dream alive against Bayern in their home stadium, and up stepped our all-time top Champions League goalscorer to deliver it with just a couple of minutes left.

Drogba met Juan Mata’s near-post corner with an exocet of a header that Manuel Neuer got a hand to, but couldn’t keep out.

The Ivorian would later have the final say, coolly converting his penalty in the shoot-out to win us the European Cup for the first time.

Branislav Ivanovic v Benfica, May 2013

We won the Europa League for the first time the following year, and it was another header of mighty proportions that proved telling.

In the closing stages of our showdown with Benfica, Ivanovic stretched every sinew to guide the ball back from whence it came, snatching victory right at the end.

Demba Ba v PSG, April 2014

Time was running out for us to score the second goal that would nudge us past PSG in the Champions League quarter-finals.

We needed a hero and Demba Ba proved to be just that man, pouncing on a loose ball and ramming it into the net. Jose Mourinho charged down the touchline to join the celebrations as the Bridge erupted.

Reece James v Ajax, November 2019

We found ourselves 4-1 down to Ajax at Stamford Bridge with barely half-an-hour remaining, but mounted a stirring comeback to earn a Champions League group stage point.

With Chelsea laying siege against the now nine men of Ajax, Reece James became our youngest scorer in the competition with a rifled effort through the crowd, with the celebrations that ensued something else.

Kai Havertz v Manchester City, May 2021

Any goal that wins a Champions League final deserves its place on this list and Kai Havertz did just that for us against Manchester City in Porto, racing on to Mason Mount’s pass, touching the ball around the onrushing Ederson and passing it into the empty net.

The awesome defensive display that followed ensured it was the decider.