Our look at the Blues in images reaches one of the most important decades in Chelsea's 120-year history, as the continental revolution was completed and the glory years arrived.
Chelsea was changed forever as foreign superstars began to make west London their home, as did several trophies, domestic and continental, before our 100th birthday prompted quite the celebration.
It started with Glenn Hoddle bringing in Ruud Gullit from AC Milan, before the Dutchman took the reins himself to continue his predecessor’s work. Aided by signings of the calibre of Italian trio Gianluca Vialli, Gianfranco Zola and Roberto Di Matteo, Gullit become both the first foreign and first black manager to win the FA Cup in 1997, bringing to an end Chelsea’s 26 years without a major trophy.
That work was in turn continued by Vialli, bringing more silverware, with the League Cup, Cup Winners’ Cup and UEFA Super Cup all lifted in 1998 alone, before our debut in the UEFA Champions League and further FA Cup glory in 1999/00.
After Claudio Ranieri had continued the development, a change of ownership was followed by a certain Jose Mourinho arriving at Stamford Bridge to turn our increasingly glamourous signings into champions. He needed just one attempt, following up League Cup success with our first top-flight title of the Premier League era, and first full stop for 50 years, in 2005. Not a bad 100th birthday present for the Blues!
Here are some of our favourite images from Chelsea's tenth decade...