Frank Lampard

Chelsea legend and record-breaking midfielder turned manager, now leading Coventry City.

Frank James Lampard (born 20 June 1978) is an English football manager and former midfielder who is the head coach of Premier League club Coventry City. Widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time and one of Chelsea's and the Premier League's greatest ever players, Lampard holds the record of the most Premier League goals (177) by a midfielder in its history. He is also one of the few footballers to have made over 1,000 competitive appearances.

Quick Facts

Full name: Frank James Lampard
Born: 20 June 1978
Birthplace: Romford, London, England
Height: 1.84 m / 6 ft
Position: Midfielder
Current club: Coventry City (manager)
Total caps: 647
Total goals: 193

Lore & Background

A box-to-box midfielder, Lampard began his career in 1995 at West Ham United, the club where his father Frank Sr. also played. In 2001, he was signed by London rivals Chelsea for £11 million. In his thirteen years with the club, Lampard established himself as a prolific scorer from midfield, becoming the club's all-time leading goalscorer, with 211 goals in all competitions. At Chelsea, Lampard won three Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, four FA Cups, and two League Cups. In 2005, he was named FWA Footballer of the Year, and finished runner-up for both the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year. After leaving Chelsea, Lampard played for fellow Premier League side Manchester City, and Major League Soccer club New York City FC before retiring in 2017. He ranked highly on a number of statistics for Premier League players for ten years from 1 December 2000, including most games and most wins. Lampard played 106 matches and scored 29 goals for the England national team, after making his debut in 1999. He represented his country at three FIFA World Cups – in 2006, 2010, and 2014 – and in UEFA Euro 2004, where he was named in the Team of the Tournament. Lampard was voted England Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005. Lampard is one of 11 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 ranking, with 102 assists. Lampard holds a number of additional Chelsea and Premier League records, and has won PFA Fans' Player of the Year and the FWA Tribute Award. During his career, he was named in the PFA Team of the Year three times, Premier League Player of the Month four times, Premier League Player of the Season once, and finished as the Premier League's top assist provider three times, and was named in the FIFPro World XI and a MLS All-Star. After departing, Lampard was named in the Chelsea Team of the Decade as voted for by Chelsea fans, and into the Premier League Hall of Fame. After retiring from international football, Lampard was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2015 for services to football. Lampard served as a team captain on the ITV sport panel show Play to the Whistle from 2015 until 2017. He has also written a number of children's books.

Reader's Guide

Lampard began his career at West Ham United, his father's former club, joining the youth team in 1994. He went on loan to Second Division club Swansea City in October 1995, debuting in a 2–0 victory over Bradford City and scoring his first career goal against Brighton & Hove Albion. Lampard made his West Ham debut on 31 January 1996 against Coventry City. He made his first start on 17 August 1996. His season ended on 15 March 1997 when he sustained a broken leg during a 0–0 draw against Aston Villa. From the 1997–98 season he took the number 18 squad number. He scored his first West Ham goal on the first day of the 1997–98 season against Barnsley. He scored a hat-trick against Walsall in the League Cup on 19 November 1997. He was an ever-present in the 1998–99 season, helping West Ham to fifth place. Before the 1999–2000 season, he signed a contract extension until 2005. He scored his first European goal against Jokerit on 24 July 1999. He helped West Ham win the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup. In the 1999–2000 season he finished as the club's third top scorer with 14 goals. In the 2000–01 season he scored 9 goals in 37 games. He left West Ham for Chelsea for £11 million in June 2001. Lampard's Chelsea debut came on 19 August 2001 against Newcastle United. He appeared in all of Chelsea's league matches and scored eight goals in the 2001–02 season. He was Premier League Player of the Month in September 2003. He was named in the 2004 PFA Team of the Year and reached double figures in league goals (10) for the first time in 2003–04.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Frank Lampard's role on the pitch?

Playing as a box-to-box central midfielder, Lampard was known for arriving late in the box to score crucial goals while covering ground defensively. This unique style made him instrumental during Chelsea's dominant period from 2001 to 2014.

Where did Frank Lampard start and end his playing career?

Lampard started at West Ham United in 1995 before transferring to Chelsea for £11 million in 2001. He officially retired from professional playing in 2017 after a career spanning over two decades.