Frank Lampard Profile - The Best Midfield Player In the World

**rossen** · 24-06-2006

Scorn was raised at his original £11 million transfer fee four years ago - but who's laughing now?

Frank is the man who drives Chelsea on from midfield game after game after game. No-one of his age has enjoyed more Premiership football and no-one plays more at Chelsea. In December 2005, he finally missed a game with a virus and so brought to an end a new Premiership record of 164 consecutive appearances.

Ironically, Frank’s ever-present habit was one of the reasons why he was under-appreciated by some at the club that nurtured him. With Frank’s father the West Ham first team coach, sections of the support there cried nepotism.

Despite that, he was ever-present in the Hammers side that finished fifth in ‘98/’99 and was capped for England the next season. When manager Harry Redknapp and Frank senior were sacked from Upton Park, it was time for our Frank to move on.

After a quiet start at the Bridge, he has bloomed into one of Europe's finest and in 2003/4, Frank’s phenomenal form was only beaten by Thierry Henry when the individual awards were handed out and he was well worthy of his place in England’s Euro 2004 team.

The performances continued to come as did goals, Frank firing Chelsea to the Championship as he top-scored from midfield with 13 in the League and 19 overall. He created more goals than any Chelsea player in recent memory and there was no-one more appropriate to score the magical goals at Bolton to clinch the title.

The Sportswriters' Footballer of the Year (only the second Chelsea winner in over 50 years) and runner-up in the European and World Player of the Year voting for 2005, vice-captain Frank is as close to indispensable as you’ll find in modern squad-based football.