John Terry snubs Lampard, Drogba, names big Chelsea player that wowed him

Chelsea legend John Terry has reflected on the signings that changed the culture at Stamford Bridge, singling out Gianfranco Zola as the first arrival who truly made him say “wow.”

The former Blues captain, widely regarded as Chelsea’s greatest ever player, spent his career alongside some of the club’s biggest icons, from Frank Lampard to Ashley Cole and Didier Drogba.

Speaking on The Joy of Football podcast, Terry revealed that Zola’s impact in the late 1990s set new standards at the club.

He said, “I think Gianfranco Zola very early on was a big player in that.

“The Italian players were great because we used to, as you know, train at Harley and no food. When it was food, it was burger and chips and bacon sandwiches and this that and the other.

“And the Italians just couldn’t believe it, could they? It was like we had to get thrown out on a Wednesday afternoon because the college were coming in. And these guys really changed the mindset of what it looked like to be a top footballer.”

Zola went on to become an icon in West London, winning the 1998 Cup Winners’ Cup and being voted Chelsea’s greatest-ever player by fans before Terry himself later took that mantle.

Fast forward to 2025, Chelsea have once again splashed on exciting signings, Joao Pedro, wonderkid Estevão Willian and winger Jamie Gittens and Terry believes the squad has enough to mount a serious Premier League title challenge under Enzo Maresca.