Former Chelsea star Claude Makelele turned 45 yesterday, and his former fans have taken to Twitter to wish him well on his big day.
“The man so good they named a role after him.”, Makelele was a fan favourite during his time at Stamford Bridge in which he won back-to-back Premier League titles between 2003 and 2008.
Signed from Real Madrid at the end of the 02/03 season, the Frenchman came to London with few expectations.
While he was an integral part of Real’s Galactico’s, Makelele was a vital but often un-noticed cog in Madrid’s machine. At Chelsea he continued in a similar vein, but certainly was not without accolade.
Makelele was a fan-favourite at Stamford Bridge and arguably the key member of Jose Mourinho’s title winning side. The link between attack and defence and a master at winning the ball back from the opposition, Makelele was effective if sometimes unspectacular, but his role was undoubtedly vital – allowing the Blues more creative players to flaunt their stuff, and at the same time offering protection to the back four.
Happy birthday to Claude Makelele – the only Chelsea player to have had a position named after him! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/zS9tiaxwe1
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 18, 2018
He left Chelsea a legend, but perhaps more important defined what it is to be a modern defensive midfielder. Nemanja Matic, John Obi Mikel and most recently of course N’golo Kante have been just some of the players who have had the monumental job of filling the Frenchman’s boots in the years since his departure.
His influence is spread much farther than The Bridge however. Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he would have “really liked” to have had Makelele at Old Trafford, while his former team-mate Zinedine Zidane hailed his importance to Real Madrid after he the Frenchman left for Chelsea and David Beckham’s subsequent arrival, saying: “Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine?”
Post-playing days, Makelele coached at Swansea City, and is now the head coach of Belgian side Eupen – however the Chelsea (and Madrid, PSG and Celta Vigo fans) certainly haven’t forgotten him …
Legend 🎂
— phelomena7 (@eliijahfifi) February 18, 2018
Big tackle
— Benjamin Dutton (@benjaminndutton) February 18, 2018
It was my childhood dream to play the Makelele role
— Gareth (@gazLUFC13) February 18, 2018
Happy birthday @ClaudeMakelele ,imagine if we'd him and @nglkante at the same time 💪💪💪🔥
— Danny (@Dannypdidy) February 18, 2018
https://twitter.com/Visionz44/status/965215668244242432
Ledge!!
— It's Just A Game (@_itsjustagame) February 18, 2018
Legend
— Aaron Brown (@draaron_brown) February 18, 2018
Happy Birthday Claude
— Eze (@EzeNdiIgbo) February 18, 2018
https://twitter.com/Mehrantheone/status/965298685176410112
*The only player to have had a position named after him!
— Swapnil Kaushik (@swapnilkaushik9) February 18, 2018