Welcome sport lovers to another edition of Player Focus. Today we will be showcasing a Chelsea and English Legend. One of the greatest to have ever graced the Premier League. It is no other player than the great Fran Lampard of Chelsea.
Personal Information
Full name: Frank James Lampard
Date of birth: 20 June 1978 (age 40)
Place of birth: Romford, England
Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.84 m)
Playing position: Midfielder
Current team: Derby County (manager)
Frank James Lampard, OBE (born 20 June 1978) is an English football manager and former professional footballer. He is the manager of Championship club Derby County. He is the all-time leading goalscorer for Chelsea, where he played for 13 years, and is considered by a number of journalists and football experts to be one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, and as Chelsea's greatest ever player by some Chelsea players.
Lampard began his career at West Ham United, for whom his father Frank Lampard Sr. had also played. He secured a place in the first team by the 1997–98 season, and the following year helped the team finish fifth in the Premier League, their highest-ever Premier League placing. In 2001, he moved to rival London club Chelsea for £11 million. In 2014, he was released by Chelsea after 13 seasons. Lampard then joined New York City on a two-year deal, in preparation for the club's Major League Soccer (MLS) debut in 2015, but would play for Manchester City in the meantime. However, it was later reported that Lampard was under contract to Manchester City and not New York City, as had been stated by both clubs. From his debut, Lampard was ever-present in the Chelsea first team and made 164 consecutive Premier League appearances, a record for an outfield player. He established himself as a prolific scorer at the west London club and was a key part of the sides which won back-to-back Premier League titles in 2004–05 and 2005–06 and a domestic cup double in 2007. He signed a new contract in 2008, becoming the highest-paid Premier League footballer at that time, and scored in his first Champions League Final that year. He won a second FA Cup winners' medal in 2009, scoring the winning goal in the final. In the 2009–10 season, Lampard helped Chelsea secure their first league and FA Cup double, and also had his most prolific season with the club, scoring 22 league goals and 14 league assists. In 2012, Lampard captained Chelsea to their first UEFA Champions League success and a year later to their first UEFA Europa League title. He was released by the club after the 2013–14 season.
A three-time Chelsea Player of the Year, Lampard is the club's all-time top goalscorer with 211 goals in all competitions. Lampard is one of seven players, and the only midfielder, to have scored 150 or more goals in the Premier League. He is fourth in the Premier League's all-time assists table, with 102 assists. In 2005, Lampard was voted FWA Footballer of the Year and was runner-up in both the FIFA World Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or. In 2010, he received the FWA Tribute Award. He has won 13 trophies in his career. Internationally, Lampard was capped 106 times by England; he made his debut in October 1999, and played at three World Cups – in 2006, 2010 and 2014. He was voted England Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005. He played in Euro 2004 and was named in the team of the tournament after scoring three goals in four games. In all, he scored 29 international goals. He was top scorer for England in their 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign with five goals, and is England's most prolific penalty taker with nine goals.
HONOURS
West Ham United
UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1999
Chelsea
Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10
FA Cup: 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12
Football League Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07
FA Community Shield: 2005, 2009
UEFA Champions League: 2011–12
UEFA Europa League: 2012–13
INDIVIDUAL
FIFA Player of the year Silver Award: 2005
Ballon d'Or Silver Award: 2005
FWA Footballer of the Year: 2005
PFA Fans' Player of the Year: 2005
PFA Merit Award: 2015
FWA Tribute Award: 2010
Premier League Player of the Season: 2004–05
Premier League top assist provider: 2004–05, 2008–09, 2009–10
PFA Team of the Year: 2003–04 Premier League, 2004–05 Premier League, 2005–06
FIFPro World XI: 2005
UEFA Midfielder of the year: 2008
England Player of the Year Award: 2004, 2005
ESM Team of the Year: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10
UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2004
UEFA Europa League Final Fans' Man of the Match: 2013
FA Cup Final Man of the Match: 2007
Premier League Player of the Month: September 2003, April 2005, October 2005, October 2008
Premier league player of the decade (Official Statistics): 2001–10
Barclays Merit Award (164 consecutive Appearances)
Chelsea Player of the Year: 2004, 2005, 2009
Best player of FA Cup: 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10
Best Player of League Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07
Premier League 20 Seasons Awards : Premier League 500 Club
MLS All-Star: 2015
New York City FC Player of the Month: September 2015
New York City's Ride of Fame: Immortal
Globe Soccer Awards Player Career Award: 2015
Outstanding Contribution to London Football Award: 2017
RECORDS
Chelsea
Most goals scored:211
Most Premier League goals in one match: 4 (v. Derby County, Premier League, 12 March 2008) and (v. Aston Villa, Premier League, 27 March 2010)
Most penalties scored: 49
Most major cup final appearances: 14
Most Chelsea Player of the Year wins: 3 (2004, 2005 and 2009)
Most Premier League goal invovlements: 237
Most Premier League goals at home: 79
Most Premier League goals: 147
Most FA Cup goals: 26
England
Most penalties scored: 9
Premier League
Most goals scored from outside the box: 41
Most assists to goals partnership: 24 assists to Dider Drogba
Most opening day of the season appereances: 18
Most goals and assists combination: 36 goals with Dider Drogba
Most successive appearances: 164
Most different teams scored against: 39
Most goals from a central midfielder in a season: 22 (2009-10)
UEFA
Most Champions League Knockout Stage goals by an English player: 15 goals
Most Champions League round of 16 appearances by an English player
LEGEND IN THE GAME...