Chelsea FC will be the most represented club at the 2010 World Cup Finals in South Africa. Even with the recent exclusion of Germany midfielder Michael Ballack due to injury, Chelsea has 15 players in the World Cup. Barcelona are a close second with 14 and Liverpool and Arsenal are sending 12 each.

The Chelsea players in the World Cup will represent seven different countries including, England, Ghana, France, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Portugal, Serbia, and Slovakia.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=ashley+cole&iid=8810179″ src=”c/2/1/7/Ashley_Cole_Chelsea_83af.JPG?adImageId=12987028&imageId=8810179″ width=”234″ height=”297″ /]Ashley Cole (England): Considered by many as the best left-back in the world and I am inclined to agree. Making a comeback from a seemingly devastating ankle injury, Ashley Cole was an integral part of a largely make-shift Chelsea defense. Though not known for his goal-scoring, he has shown flashes of brilliance in front of goal. His lack of size makes him vulnerable in the air and is a bit of a hothead at times which leads to some rash tackles. He is able to shut down the the left side of the field and has the pace needed to shut down world-class players like Cristiano Ronaldo. He is vital in all phases of the game and his attacking runs create pressure and open up many options in the England attack.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=john+terry&iid=8750345″ src=”c/a/b/6/John_Terry_Chelsea_11a9.JPG?adImageId=12987053&imageId=8750345″ width=”234″ height=”300″ /]John Terry (England): The Chelsea captain was recently stripped of his England captaincy due to some off the field issues with former Chelsea and international teammate Wayne Bridge and his baby mama. Unfortunately these issues affected Terry’s play during a very important stretch of the club season, but it seems that is all behind him. Also, with Bridge declining Capello’s invite to the World Cup squad, that distraction should be left at home. Terry is still one of the best center backs in the world and his ability to read games and match up one on one with any team’s striker is unparalleled. He is excellent in the air and despite being somewhat exposed by a striker with pace, he will defend with every ounce of his will and is definitely first-rate.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=joe+cole&iid=8477478″ src=”f/4/d/1/Joe_Cole_Chelsea_29c9.JPG?adImageId=12987059&imageId=8477478″ width=”234″ height=”282″ /]Joe Cole (England): Joe Cole was hardly featured in the Chelsea attack this year having only started 14 games and making 12 appearances as a substitute. However this was largely because of a knee injury and an already crowded midfield at Stamford Bridge. He only contributed 2 goals this season but one was against Manchester United and was extremely vital to the Blues’ title hopes. Cole has a top-rate passing range and rare technical ability that can unlock defenses which is largely lacking in this England side. His inclusion in the squad is a bit of a surprise considering his lack of minutes this year but he is a rare substitute that Capello can bring on that has extensive experience at the international level.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=frank+lampard+england&iid=8480011″ src=”f/1/4/9/Sports_News_bc95.jpg?adImageId=12987066&imageId=8480011″ width=”234″ height=”272″ /]Frank Lampard (England): The consummate professional and a great example of everything a modern footballer should be. Lampard was the calming presence and held Chelsea together during a very contentious period. He is one of the most consistent midfielders in the Premiership with incredible goal-scoring ability and can score from long-range as well. His passing ability is excellent and makes him one of the best. There are very few weaknesses to his game and its rare to see him lose possession in the middle of the pitch. Lampard is also an excellent defensive player and his discipline make him extremely hard to beat.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=michael+essien&iid=7272939″ src=”9/e/b/f/Michael_Essien_Chelsea_65af.jpg?adImageId=12987515&imageId=7272939″ width=”234″ height=”275″ /]Michael Essien (Ghana): Its hard to say what to expect from Essien during these finals as fitness has been a major issue for him the past few years. In fact it may even be an issue in South Africa. Essien started 13 games this year and made one appearance as a substitute and only scored three goals. When he is healthy though, he is one of the best holding midfielders in the world. He is a fearsome tackler with great versatility in attack and can play any position in the midfield. He has excellent power and has a great motor and tons of heart. His only weakness is his lack of aerial prowess but his strength and work-rate more than make up for that. If Ghana are to advance out of their group, which is very likely, then it is vital for Essien to raise his game once again to his usual world-class level.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=florent+malouda&iid=8746219″ src=”d/e/0/2/Florent_Malouda_Chelsea_ee27.JPG?adImageId=12987493&imageId=8746219″ width=”234″ height=”210″ /]Florent Malouda (France): Malouda was labeled a bust in many circles but the arrival of Guus Hiddink revitalized the French winger. Malouda burst back on to the Premiership scene this year with an excellent overall performance and it could be argued that he was the best player in the squad for much of the season. He is one of the most versatile players on this France squad as he is an outstanding left-winger but tracks back very well owing to his experience playing left-back in his days at Lyon. He did an excellent job of providing through balls and dangerous crosses to both Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka during the club season and its vital that he do the same for Thierry Henry.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=nicolas+anelka&iid=8813467″ src=”8/b/a/1/Nicolas_Anelka_FA_7080.JPG?adImageId=12987529&imageId=8813467″ width=”234″ height=”254″ /]Nicolas Anelka (France): Anelka is one of the most talented French players and has proven to be a prolific goalscorer on the club level, however there is not much good to say about his international career. He has also had quite the attitude problem and earned himself the nickname “The Incredible Sulk” before his days at the Bridge. Since he signed with Chelsea midway through the 2007/08 season he has matured greatly and even took on a secondary striker role. His rare combination of power, pace, technique, and finishing ability make him the prototypical modern striker but he has yet to display his wonderful talents on a stage as grand as this. France snuck in to the Finals thanks to some clever handiwork by Henry but they should advance out of a relatively easy group with Anelka leading the charge.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=didier+drogba&iid=8810178″ src=”6/c/4/2/Didier_Drogba_Chelsea_096f.JPG?adImageId=12987560&imageId=8810178″ width=”234″ height=”321″ /]Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast): The 2010 Premier League Golden Boot winner is the best goalscorer in the Premiership and quite possibly the world. Before the Rooney supporters get crazy, I said best goalscorer, not best player. Yes he could do a better job of tracking back and he could stop being petulant and selfish, but perhaps its that mean streak and self-serving attitude that has propelled Drogba to the top of the footballing world. Besides a slight lack of pace and a propensity to dive, there is no weakness in this man’s game. He is one of the strongest players in the world and can bully opposing defenders and he rarely loses 50-50 balls. His strength and height make him an excellent aerial threat. Drogba and what is known as the Ivory Coast’s “Golden Generation” is Africa’s best chance at a World Cup victory despite being placed in the so-called Group of Death.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=salomon+kalou&iid=8746134″ src=”2/2/b/e/Salomon_Kalou_Chelsea_7cee.JPG?adImageId=12987571&imageId=8746134″ width=”234″ height=”180″ /]Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast): Still relatively young for a player of such experience, Salomon Kalou has been a bit inconsistent on the club level since signing to Chelsea in 2006. He has plenty of pace and has no problems running at defenders to put the pressure on and create chances but he seems to have lost his confidence in front of goal. A couple of brutal misses did the trick, particularly the epic failure against Portsmouth in the FA Cup Final. It also could be that Chelsea look to him as more of a provider rather than a scorer. His pace and fearlessness make him a perfect player in the Ivory Coast’s counter-attacking style and he looks to have a bright future in both his club and international shirt.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=john+obi+mikel&iid=8477489″ src=”d/d/f/8/John_Obi_Mikel_f4f6.JPG?adImageId=12987617&imageId=8477489″ width=”234″ height=”230″ /]John Obi Mikel (Nigeria): There really is not much you can say about John Obi Mikel, neither positive or negative but he is just that type of player. His role in his team’s success is often understated and underrated by the casual fan. Mikel is fearless in defense and does a very good job at his holding midfielder position and managed 21 starts for Chelsea but rarely gets much attention or publicity. Mikel burst on to the scene at a very young age and was targeted by Manchester United before he agreed to sign with Chelsea. He is expected to be a superstar at the international level after playing well for the Super Eagles at both the 2006 and 2008 African Cup of Nations and is one of Africa’s bright young stars at the age of 22.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=paulo+ferreira&iid=8477484″ src=”e/2/7/e/Paolo_Ferreira_Chelsea_3d46.JPG?adImageId=12987623&imageId=8477484″ width=”234″ height=”340″ /]Paulo Ferreira (Portugal): Paulo Ferreira is an excellent defender but has struggled to hold down a place in the starting line-up at Chelsea ever since the Mourinho days came to an end. He was, along with Carvalho and Deco, a member of the Porto side that won the Champions League and joined Chelsea the following summer. Despite the loss of his starting position, he has remained an integral part of the club’s success as a substitute at every defensive position. His versatility came very much in handy this season due to injuries to Ricardo Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Branislav Ivanovic, and particularly Jose Bosingwa at some point or another. In fact, Bosingwa’s injury has kept him out of the World Cup and has given Ferreira a much larger role on the Portuguese squad than expected.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=ricardo+carvalho&iid=7260959″ src=”d/c/c/1/Chelsea_defender_Ricardo_bc51.jpg?adImageId=12987631&imageId=7260959″ width=”234″ height=”349″ /]Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal): When he is healthy, Ricardo Carvalho is one of the finest center backs in the Premiership and in Europe. He has had some injury issues in recent years and there are some concerns that a striker with pace would give him some problems. Thats the usual knock on aging center backs but he still has several great years ahead of him. Much like John Terry though, Carvalho is savvy enough and has enough international experience to neutralize most offensive threats. Especially in the World Cup where the pressure is so immense, experience can prove more vital than natural ability. The center back also adds toughness to a Portugal squad that is known more for its attacking finesse and its divas (Ronaldo, Nani) than for lock-down defense. Carvalho is extremely physical, powerful in the air, and is better on the ball than your average center back.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=deco&iid=8477335″ src=”6/e/3/f/Deco_Chelsea_200910_021c.JPG?adImageId=12987638&imageId=8477335″ width=”234″ height=”278″ /]Deco (Portugal): Anderson Deco was born in Brazil but is a naturalized Portuguese citizen and chose to play for Portugal rather than his native land. Deco is definitely not as effective as he once was but can still be a threat because of his skill and finishing ability. He will not be looked at to score goals for Portugal but rather to provide the through balls to unlock opposing defenses. His creativity has been vital for the Portuguese attack since his international debut in 2002. He was largely forgotten at Chelsea for much of the year under Ancelotti, and Hiddink unfortunately, but made a push late in the season and started several important matches down the stretch run. Deco’s best years are behind him and he is not as mobile as he once was and has a tendency to disappear from games, but when he is in good form, he is still very effective.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=branislav+ivanovic&iid=8813317″ src=”a/f/9/a/Branislav_Ivanovic_FA_30d5.JPG?adImageId=12987647&imageId=8813317″ width=”234″ height=”316″ /]Branislav Ivanovic (Serbia): Branislav Ivanovic transferred to Chelsea in January 2008 for a reported fee of 9 million pounds but he did not make his first appearance for the club until about 8 months later. The move was largely overlooked because Ivanovic was a relatively unknown commodity. His first goal came in a brace against Liverpool in the Champions League that etched his name in Chelsea lore. He made a name for himself at the club level with his versatility by playing all four defensive positions and stepping in admirably at left back after Bosingwa’s injury this year. Though he lacks the pace and creativity of Bosingwa or a Glen Johnson, his no nonsense approach is vital to any side. His already excellent international reputation is slowly being matched by a growing reputation at Stamford Bridge. He may only be a part-time or second-choice player at Chelsea, but he is one of Serbia’s premier performers and forms part of an excellent back line with United center back Nemanja Vidic.

[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=miroslav+stoch&iid=3980786″ src=”b/7/4/5/PicImg_Football__Watford_2061.JPG?adImageId=12987655&imageId=3980786″ width=”234″ height=”300″ /]Miroslav Stoch (Slovakia): Miroslav Stoch, at 20 years old, is part of a generation of youngsters at Chelsea who have shown great promise at both the club and international level. I could easily see him being the creative inspiration of the Chelsea attack in the years to come, but one more loan spell to a lesser club would do him some good. Rather than being just another player at the end of the Chelsea bench, Stoch was loaned out in 2009/10 to Dutch Eredivisie side FC Twente and was instrumental in helping that club win its first title. He is a brilliant attacking midfielder and has plenty of upside. He possesses great ball skills and is a threat to score from distance. Stoch’s brilliance must be on full display if Slovakia is to advance out of a weak group.