Aged 38, Chelsea legend Frank Lampard has announced his retirement from the beautiful game via Instagram.
After 21 incredible years, I have decided that now is the right time to finish my career as a professional footballer. Whilst I have received a number of exciting offers to continue playing at home and abroad, at 38 I feel now is the time to begin the next chapter in my life. I’m immensely proud of the trophies I’ve won, of representing my country over 100 times and of scoring more than 300 career goals. I have many people to thank. I thank my parents for instilling in me the values of hard work, dedication and professionalism, values which I have carried with me in everything that I do. I am forever grateful for the support of my family, my wife Christine and my two daughters Luna and Isla. What you have given me off the pitch has always been my strength on it. I love you all very much. Also, my friends and my own team that have always been there for me. I would like to thank the amazing team-mates, coaches, managers and backroom staff that I was privileged to work with. I’d also like to pay tribute to the clubs that I have represented. Firstly, West Ham United who gave me my debut in 1996. Thanks to the people there that believed in me at that young age. More recently Manchester City and NYCFC. I greatly enjoyed my last playing years at these two clubs and really appreciate the support I received from City Football Group and both clubs’ fans. Of course, the largest part of my heart belongs to Chelsea, a club which has given me so many great memories. I will never forget the opportunity they gave me and the success that we managed to achieve together. It is impossible to give thanks individually to all the people that helped and supported me in my 13 years playing there. All I can say is from the day I signed until now and going forward, I’m eternally grateful for everything and to everyone. Chelsea fans gave myself and my teammates such incredible support. Their passion and hunger drove me on personally to give my best year after year. I couldn’t have done it without them. Looking forward, I’m grateful to the FA for the opportunity to study for my coaching qualifications and I look forward to pursuing the off-field opportunities that this decision opens.A video posted by Frank Lampard (@franklampard) on Feb 2, 2017 at 2:56am PST
Despite rising through the ranks at London rivals West Ham, the club of famous father Frank Lampard Senior, the midfielder will mostly be remembered for his 13-year spell at Chelsea, becoming the club’s all-time record goalscorer in February 2013 and eventually finishing his Blues career with an incredible tally of 211 goals in 648 games.
After leaving Stamford Bridge in summer 2014, the former England international – who represented his country on 106 occasions, scoring 29 times – enjoyed a cameo season at Manchester City, before joining their sister club New York City FC in the MLS.
After initial criticism during his first campaign with the American outfit, Lampard quickly went to win over the fan-base in 2016 with twelve goals in 19 league outings. The club even held a ‘Frank Lampard Day’ in September last year.
Having now hung up his boots, Lampard is now studying his coaching badges with the FA. So what better way to celebrate the career of arguably the greatest goalscoring midfielder of all time than a look back at his ten greatest strikes!
Number 10
Let’s start at his last club New York City FC, where this fine knock down, delicate turn and calm finish proved he has still got it as he scored the winner against DC United in a thrilling game. A classic Lampard finish which I’m sure Chelsea fans would have been delighted to see.
Number 9
There is a reason Frank Lampard is Chelsea’s all-time record goal scorer, and the above shows exactly why. Lampard always had a brilliant knack of getting himself in the right place at the right time, demonstated again here as he scored his 203rd Chelsea goal to overtake Bobby Tambling as the club’s record scorer. A nice lay-off, before he holds his run and then pounces expertly between the defenders to slot home.
Number 8
What a free kick. Power, accuracy, swerve, dip. It had it all. Frank opened his account for Chelsea on the opening day of the season and helped the Blues with a 2-0 victory over newly promoted Hull City. The set-piece was an astonishing 35 yards out, and most expected to see the Englishman dink it into the box, but clearly he had other ideas.
Number 7
It is unlucky Hull again who once again found themselves on the receiving end of a Frank Lampard masterpiece. Chelsea manager at the time Luiz Filipe Scolari described the goal as one of the best he’d ever seen. The cheeky attempt took more than an ounce of technical ability to pull off, something which Lampard had in abundance as he registered his 99th career league goal.
Number 6
This strike was Lampard’s 20th of the season, and not only was it special because of how stunning it was, but also for being the winning goal in the FA Cup final. The match was the last for Guus Hiddink in his first spell in charge of Chelsea as his Blues sides came back from 1-0 down – the fastest goal in FA Cup final history from Louis Saha – to win and rescue what had been an hit-and-miss season otherwise.
Number 5
Not technically a goal, but this one still makes the list on the premise for what it could and should have meant. Given the pressure of the game, Lampard’s instinctive strike was excellent and would have given England a deserved lead and perhaps even victory over Germany to take them through to the semi-finals of the World Cup. Instead, the goal wasn’t given and England’s confidence slumped as they ended up losing a whopping 4-1.
Number 4
The only reason this goal isn’t higher up on this list is purely for the fact it could be debated whether he meant it or not. If he did, it would certainly be number one. How on earth he managed to turn, look up, judge the angle and delicately dink that ball over the keeper that quickly is astounding. And from that angle? Wow.
Number 3
Maybe not the most important goal Frank Lampard ever scored during his Chelsea days, but my god was it one of the best – this effort during the 7-0 thumping of Ipswich Town was the pick of the bunch that day. The midfielder’s strike is about as top corner as top corner gets, leaving the ‘keeper completely stranded from what was an absurd angle and distance.
Number 2
Before balls gained a reputation for swerving after striking them, and before Didier Drogba and Cristiano Ronaldo made the ‘punch’ technique fashionable, Lampard was already at it in his own fashion. This strike against Everton (again) was sensational. In fact, I remember watching it and thinking, how on earth has he done that?
Number 1
Some would argue this isn’t his best goal ever, but the sheer technique and audacity to pull this off means it has to be. Without the ball even touching the ground, Lampard controls with his chest, spins anti-clockwise and slams the ball in the far corner on the half-volley.