Chelsea played their 1000th game under Roman Abramovich’s ownership back in November 2000.
Since 2003, when the Russian business magnate took over, the club has gone from strength to strength in establishing a foothold among the European elite.
Chelsea became a benchmark upon which other Premier League clubs and European clubs were compared, attracting some of the world’s greatest footballers – including the likes of Eden Hazard, Didier Drogba, Arjen Robben, Andriy Shevchenko, Fernando Torres etc.
Speaking to Forbes of his love for football and the club itself, Abramovich explained his interest in becoming part of the sport:
“At the time, I just saw this incredible game and that I wanted to be a part of that in one way or another. So much emotion, so much excitement to be a part of this.”
He elucidated his attachment with the club he has led through ups and downs throughout his 18-year-old account:
“Chelsea is not just the men’s first team. Chelsea is a community with a rich history & football is not just a business opportunity, it is a community sport.. The ambitions are as true as they were when I first came. The trophies speak for themselves. It’s my goal to keep winning, going forward and build for the future.”
The club possesses the highest number of trophies among English clubs, since 2003, when the Russian took over. Chelsea hold 16 trophies, as opposed to Manchester United’s 14 and Manchester City’s 11.
The club has won 5 Premier Leagues, 1 Champions League, 2 Europa League’s, 5 FA Cups, 1 League Cup and 2 Community Shields – from 2003 until 2020.
Chelsea have gone from being just another team to being one of Europe’s best since Abramovich entered the scenario.