One of the greatest left-backs in football history, renowned for his defensive excellence against the world’s best wingers.
Arsenal went an entire Premier League season unbeaten in 2003-04, and Ashley Cole was one of only two outfield players who started every single match of it -- a workload that says as much about his fitness and consistency as any individual highlight could. Three years later he left for Chelsea, a move Arsenal fans still treat as one of the club's more bitter departures given the Invincibles history he was walking away from. Cole's game was built on recovery pace and relentless one-on-one defending rather than the attacking flair that made some of his contemporaries more visible, which may be part of why his standing among England's greatest-ever left-backs took longer to solidify than his actual results justified. Seven FA Cups is a record for an outfield player, spread across two different London clubs that fans of either side would rather not credit the other for. His 2012 Champions League title with Chelsea, scoring the decisive penalty in the shootout final against Bayern Munich, gave him the one honour the Invincibles squad itself never managed -- won for the rival club whose colours he'd swapped Arsenal's for.
Most successful player in FA Cup history with 7 wins
He was famously described by Cristiano Ronaldo as the toughest defender he ever faced.
Did You Know?How They Played
Attacking full-back with pace, defensive solidity and crossing ability
Lasting Impact
One of the greatest left-backs in Premier League history
Career Honours
- Premier League 3x
- FA Cup 7x
- Champions League 2012
- Europa League 2013
- FA Cup 2002
- FA Cup 2003
- FA Cup 2005
- Premier League 2002
- Premier League 2004
| Club | Period | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 1999–2006 | 228 | 9 | #3 |
| Chelsea | 2006–2014 | 229 | 7 | #3 |
| Roma | 2014–2016 | 16 | 1 | #3 |
| LA Galaxy | 2016–2018 | 58 | 0 | #3 |
| Derby County | 2019–2019 | 17 | 0 | — |
 England | — | 107 | — | — |