The Anchor of Chelsea’s Three Eras: Makélélé, Kanté, and Caicedo

Since the turn of the century, the identity of Chelsea FC has been shaped not by prolific strikers or creative wingers. However, it has been by midfield anchors who have set the rhythm of entire eras. From Claude Makélélé to N’Golo Kanté to Moisés Caicedo, each has embodied what their generation of football in the Premier League mandated from a number six. Their vastly differing styles and varying degrees of success tell a much larger story of the league and the club’s evolution.

Makélélé’s arrival from Real Madrid in 2003 coincided with the arrival of a young, charismatic José Mourinho and his ruthless 4-3-3 system built on defensive solidity and a significant focus on controlling the game without the ball. Makélélé averaged more than three tackles per game in his first full season, but his legacy came less from pure numbers and more from his mastery of positional awareness. He rarely strayed from the slot between Chelsea’s center-backs, allowing Frank Lampard and Michael Essien to surge forward in the rare moments Mourinho teams depend on for attacking output. During the 2004-05 campaign, Chelsea conceded just 15 league goals—a Premier League record that still stands today—thanks in large part to Makélélé’s screening. So influential was his style that English pundits coined a term for his position as a dedicated single pivot that became the template for the modern defensive midfielder: the “Makélélé role.”

A decade later, another Frenchman in N’Golo Kanté, redefined the position with a completely different skill set. Where Makélélé rarely strayed from his zone, Kanté would often hunt the ball across the entire pitch with the energy and bounce of a rabid wolf. His 2015-16 season at Leicester City remains the stuff of legend: he totaled 175 tackles and 157 interceptions, leading the league in both and driving a predicted-to-relegate Leicester City side to an incredible 5,000-to-one title win. After getting his move to Chelsea under Antonio Conte, he slotted into a 3-4-3 midfield pivot alongside Nemanja Matić, where he swept up counters, pushed the ball forward to restart attacks, and ultimately helped Chelsea win the 2016-17 Premier League title. Unlike Makélélé, who specialized in simplicity and positional discipline, Kanté often carried the ball forward himself. His dual role and skillset became even clearer under the vastly more advanced role he played under Maurizio Sarri. By the time Chelsea won the 2021 UEFA Champions League, his man-of-the-match displays in both semifinals and the final had elevated him into conversations as a club legend.

Today, the challenge to fill these big shoes falls on Moises Caicedo, the $155 million record signing from Brighton. The Ecuadorian international was recruited partially for his defensive capabilities: he ranked among the Premier League’s best in both interceptions and tackles per 90 in his last season for Brighton. However, his press resistance and composed passing ability in tight spaces were alluring characteristics that fit the modern game. Under Guardiola disciple Enzo Maresca, Chelsea has clearly shifted toward a more possession-oriented system, and Caicedo serves primarily to connect the back line with a young, dynamic attack. In his first season at Stamford Bridge, he completed over 88 percent of his passes and ranked in the top five among Chelsea players for progressive passes received. The numbers suggest a hybrid profile: less of a chaotic destroyer than Kanté, but more expansive and well-rounded than Makélélé. His legacy will depend on whether Chelsea can translate midfield stability into tangible trophies, as they did so successfully under Abramovich’s ownership.

What unites all three is that each, in its own way, defines Chelsea’s ceiling. Makélélé gave Mourinho the foundation for back-to-back titles. Kanté powered Conte’s tactical revolution and later anchored a European triumph under Tuchel. Caicedo faces a different test: proving that a record-breaking transfer fee and modern metrics can eventually yield silverware for a club that now exists primarily to generate profit under Clearlake’s ownership, as opposed to primarily for sporting success and reputation laundering under Abramovich’s. If Chelsea’s possession era delivers Champions League football and trophies, Caicedo may one day join Makélélé and Kanté as shorthand for his generation’s idea of a midfield anchor.