Seven Chelsea players have been nominated for the EA SPORTS Team of the Year and here we highlight the reasoning and stats behind their nominations, as well as including details on how to vote for any of the shortlisted Blues stars.
After Champions League and Super Cup success for the Blues in 2021, EA SPORTS have picked out seven players from Thomas Tuchel’s squad amongst a list of 80 players for nomination. The shortlisted players are Mason Mount, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Romelu Lukaku, Edouard Mendy, Cesar Azpilicueta, and Antonio Rudiger.
The voting window is open from January 10 until January 17, with the results being announced on January 20. Vote for the Blues in the EA SPORTS Team of the Year by clicking here.
Mason Mount
Mount was chosen by Chelsea fans as our Player of the Year at the end of last season, after playing a key role in both winning the Champions League and qualifying for this season’s competition. He provided the crucial assist for Havertz’s winner in the Porto final, and his technical ability in forward areas is vital to this Chelsea side.
N’Golo Kante
Kante receives his fourth nomination in the last five years, following his ever-impressive form in 2021. The Frenchman played a crucial role as we overpowered both Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid en route to the Champions League final and was voted Man of the Match when Manchester City were beaten at the Estadio de Dragao.
Jorginho
After finishing third in the 2021 Ballon d’Or, Jorginho has rounded off a brilliant year for both club and country by being nominated for the EA SPORTS Team of the Year. Jorgi has been a mainstay in the Blues side since Tuchel arrived, featuring in 36 of the Bavarian’s first 40 Premier League matches in charge and was named as UEFA Men’s Midfielder of the Year.
Romelu Lukaku
Also named on the shortlist is Lukaku. The Belgian striker returned to the Bridge in the summer and has so far scored seven goals for the Blues. Prior to this, he fired Inter Milan to their first Scudetto in a decade.
Edouard Mendy
Mendy became the first-ever African goalkeeper to win the Champions League last season, after breaking the record number of clean sheets kept in a debut season in the competition – with nine to his name. Edou has been a fantastic signing for the Blues, keeping 37 clean sheets in his first 70 Chelsea appearances. He was also awarded the UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year in 2021.
Cesar Azpilicueta
Captain Azpilicueta, who recently made his 450th Chelsea appearance, is the penultimate name on the shortlist. His constant leadership both on and off the pitch have been matched by his excellent performances in a variety of positions in the Chelsea defence.
Antonio Rudiger
Finally, Berlin-born defender Rudiger makes the cut after his phenomenal form for Chelsea since his compatriot Tuchel arrived at the club, starting 51 of his 63 games since the Bavarian took charge. His aggression on the left-hand side of Chelsea’s back three has been a key attribute of his game and he has also contributed three goals in the calendar year of 2021.