32 Greatest footballers in the history of the English Premier League - Part 21
17. Ashley Cole:
Ashley Cole is a professional footballer who is currently playing for the English club Chelsea. The English star plays as a left back and is also a part of the English national team. At many points throughout his career, the amazing full back has received
the comment of being “the best in the world.”
Ashley Cole started to play football from a strong youth academy of one of the greatest teams in the English Premier League and Europe, Arsenal. He was only 16 years old, when he joined Arsenal’s youth academy and the talented boy was well-crafted by the
youth system of the North London club.
He started to feature as a left midfielder for the under 16 side of Arsenal but later his amazing tackles were seen on the field as the English “boy” would just throw himself at the ball to gain back the possession that his team required to win important
matches. After winning the under 16 English league for Arsenal, the dynamic left back started to feature as a substitute for the Arsenal team. His first “big game” came against Middleborough, when he featured in the 75th minute and was replaced
for the fabulous Arsenal defender Kolo Toure. He immediately took his left back position and featured as a full left back for the North London Club.
The very next year, Ashley Cole started to play as a regular first team player for the Gunners and soon he became an integral part of the club as he would easily fall back after making a wonderful run forward from the left flank. His quick feet would help
him move forward from the left flank to help the strikers, and later he would fall back to help the centre backs with the defensive assists that they required.
Ashley Cole then started featuring as a first team player for Arsenal and then they managed to win an English Premier League season without losing a single game. The season is still admired by all the English fans, as Arsenal were known to be “the invincible”
after that season, as they did not even manage to lose a single game throughout the season. With players like Henry and Patrick Vieira in the squad, it was easy for the Gunners to accomplish such a thing. However, later the North London club saw the departure
of the English left back, as he left to join the other English club Chelsea after being out on loan to Crystal Palace for a season.
Success just came to him after joining Chelsea in 2006, as the amazing left back helped the team make way to the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2008; but unfortunately it was Manchester United that took home the gold.
Along with Arsenal, Ashley Cole won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups and also the UEFA Champions League runners-up medal. With Chelsea, Ashley Cole managed to win a Premier League in 2010 and UEFA Champions League runners up medal in 2008. He
also won three FA Cups with “The Blues.”
Ashley Cole proved himself time and again, and because of his amazing abilities he was able to make way to the English national team. He has already made 85 appearances for his country. After the FIFA World Cup 2010, Ashley Cole was caught on tape stating
that he did not like the English fans and their behaviour, and the English defender was involved in speculations that he would leave for the Spanish giants Real Madrid but the coach Carlo Ancelotti did not let that happen.
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