Frank James Lampard (born 20 June 1978) is an English professionalfootball manager and formerplayer who is the manager ofEFL Championship clubCoventry City. Widely regarded as one ofChelsea's greatest players ever and one of the greatestmidfielders of his generation, Lampard has the record of the most goals by a midfielder in thePremier League and most goals from outside the box (41).[4][5][6] He ranked highly on a number of statistics for Premier League players for the ten years from 1 December 2000, including most games and most wins.[7][8]
After retiring from international football, Lampard was appointed anOfficer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2015 for services to football.[19] Lampard served as a team captain on theITV sport panel showPlay to the Whistle from 2015 until 2017. He has also written a number of children's books.[20] Lampard began his managerial career withDerby County in 2018, leading the club to the final of that season'sChampionshipplay-offs. He was appointed as Chelsea's head coach a year later, guiding them to fourth place and theFA Cup Final in his first season, before being dismissed in 2021. Following a one-year spell withEverton, and a brief return to Chelsea, Lampard joined Coventry City as manager in 2024.
Club career
West Ham United
Lampard began his career atWest Ham United,his father's former club, joining the youth team in 1994, his schoolboy hero being West Ham strikerFrank McAvennie.[21] Lampard joined West Ham when his father was the assistant coach, entering as an apprentice in the youth team in 1994 and signing a professional contract the following year. He went on loan toSecond Division clubSwansea City in October 1995, debuting in his team's victory 2–0 overBradford City and scoring his first career goal in a match againstBrighton & Hove Albion. Lampard played nine times for Swansea before returning to West Ham in January 1996.[22]
The following season Lampard made his first start for West Ham, on 17 August 1996, in a 2–0 away defeat toArsenal before being substituted forRobbie Slater.[24][25] Lampard's season ended on 15 March 1997 when he sustained a broken leg during an away, 0–0 draw, againstAston Villa. Carried from the pitch on a stretcher, his 31st-minute substitute wasRio Ferdinand. The game also saw his firstbooking as a West Ham player.[24][26][27] Lampard claims to have been jeered from the pitch byWest Ham United supporters, an action which made him consider leaving football.[27] He had made 16 appearances in all competitions for The Hammers.[24]
1997–99: First-team regular
From this season Lampard took the number 18 squad number having previously held the number 26 spot.[24] On the first day of the1997–98 season, West Ham opened their fixtures with an away game againstBarnsley who were playing in the top tier of English football for the first time in 110 years. Lampard came on as a 76th-minute substitute forEyal Berkovic. Barely a minute later he scored what was the winning goal in a 2–1 win for The Hammers having received the ball fromMichael Hughes and flicking it past Barnsley goalkeeperDavid Watson.[28] The season also saw his firsthat-trick. On 19 November 1997, West Ham playedWalsall in aLeague Cup, fourth-round game. Lampard's three goals plus another fromJohn Hartson were enough to beat Walsall who responded via a goal fromAndy Watson.[29] Lampard made 42 appearances for the 1997–98 season in all competitions scoring nine goals.[24]
Before the start of the1999–2000 FA Premier League season, Lampard signed an extension to his contract which would have kept him with the club until 2005.[32] Having qualified for theIntertoto Cup, West Ham's season started early, in July 1999. On 24 July 1999, Lampard scored his first goal in European football in a 1–1 away draw with Finnish sideJokerit.[33] Another goal in the semi-final againstHeerenveen[32] put West Ham into the final againstMetz.[24] Despite losing the first leg 1–0 in London, West Ham won 3–1 in France on 24 August 1999 with goals fromTrevor Sinclair,Paulo Wanchope and Lampard.[34] Winning the competition saw West Ham in the1999–2000 UEFA Cup. Lampard scored his first goal in this competition on 16 September 1999, in a 3–0 home win againstOsijek, a tie which they won 6–1 on aggregate.[35]
This season also saw West Ham beatBradford City 5–4 atUpton Park in February 2000. The game received notoriety for Lampard's fight over the ball withPaolo Di Canio. With West Ham 4–2 down they gained a penalty. Lampard was West Ham's regular penalty taker. Di Canio, however, wanted to take the kick and the two tussled over the ball with Di Canio winning and scoring to make the game 4–3 to West Ham.[36][37] In the1999–2000, season he finished as the club's third top scorer, behind Di Canio and Paulo Wanchope, with a total of 14 goals.[38]
In the2000–01 season, West Ham's form suffered. They spent most of the season in the bottom half of the Premier League table.[39] From fifth place the previous season they finished 15th. Despite this Lampard scored 9 goals in 37 games, behind onlyFrédéric Kanouté and Di Canio.[39] In May 2001, his uncleHarry Redknapp left the club by mutual consent after seven years in the role.[40] His father Frank also left the club and Lampard, under the pressure of being known as "Frank Lampard's son" and the poor treatment of his father by West Ham, decided to move to another club.[41] He left West Ham forChelsea for £11 million in June 2001, the Hammers having previously declined a £15 million joint bid fromAston Villa for Lampard and Frédéric Kanouté.[42]
Chelsea
2001–04: Signing and first-team breakthrough
Lampard's Premier League debut with Chelsea came on 19 August 2001 in a 1–1 draw withNewcastle United on the opening day of the2001–02 season, while his first red card came in a match againstTottenham Hotspur on 16 September 2001.[43] He appeared in all of Chelsea's league matches and scored eight goals in the2001–02 season. He netted the match-winner in Chelsea's2002–03 season-opener againstCharlton Athletic.[44]
Lampard played in all 38 Premier League matches for the third consecutive season in2004–05. He finished with 13 goals (19 in all competitions), in addition to leading the league in assists with 18.[49]
In August 2004, he scored the winning goal againstSouthampton in the Premier League,[50] and continued scoring important goals as he scored both in a 2–0 win against Tottenham.[51] In March 2005 he scored a long-range goal from 30 yards againstCrystal Palace in the Premier League which Chelsea won 4–1.[52] Lampard continued his season strongly, and his brilliant performances for Chelsea in the Premier League andChampions League further increased his reputation as one of the best midfielders in the world. In the2004–05 Champions League, he scored one of the goals in Chelsea's famous 4–2 win overBarcelona, helping Chelsea to progress to the quarter-finals.[53] In the quarter-finals, he scored three goals in two legs againstBayern Munich as Chelsea won 6–5 on aggregate. His second goal in the first leg was a spectacular one; he controlledClaude Makélélé's cross with his chest then turned and swivelled and sent the ball inside the far post with a left-foot half volley.[54]
In April 2005, Lampard scored both goals againstBolton Wanderers in a 2–0 win which was the Premier League title-winning match for Chelsea, which also won the first major trophy of his career as Chelsea bagged their first top-flight title in 50 years, by a 12-point margin. He was named as Barclays Player of the Season for 2004–05.[55] Though Chelsea were eliminated in theChampions Leaguesemi-finals by league rivalsLiverpool, they took home theFootball League Cup, in which Lampard scored twice in six matches, which included the opening goal againstManchester United in the League Cup semi-final, which Chelsea won 2–1. He landed his first personal award by being named the 2005Footballer of the Year.[56]
"He is one of my best players ever, one of my best professionals ever, a Chelsea legend and a legend in the Premier League."
Lampard netted a career-high 16 league goals in2005–06. In September 2005 he was selected as a member of the inauguralWorld XI.[58] He finished as runner-up toRonaldinho for both theBallon d'Or andFIFA World Player of the Year awards.[59][60] His record of consecutive Premier League appearances ended at 164 (five better than previous record-holderDavid James) on 28 December 2005, when he sat out a match againstManchester City due to illness.[61] Lampard scored 12 goals in his first four months of the 2005–06 season. He scored twice in three separate matches from August to November, including both in a 2–1 win over Aston Villa, making Chelsea the first team to win their first seven matches in the Premier League.[62] He scored twice again, this time againstBlackburn Rovers in a 4–2 win, which included a free-kick from 25 yards. After the match, managerJosé Mourinho hailed Lampard as the "best player in the world".[63] Chelsea eventually won thePremier League for the second time, in which Lampard was Chelsea's topscorer with 16 league goals. In theChampions League group stage, he scored a free-kick againstAnderlecht. Chelsea progressed to the first knock-out round to face Barcelona, with Lampard scoring a goal in the second leg, but Chelsea were eliminated 3–2 on aggregate.[64]
2006–11: Domestic and individual success
Lampard playing for Chelsea in 2007
Due to a back injury sustained byJohn Terry, Lampard spent much of the2006–07 campaign as team captain in his absence.[65] He enjoyed a streak of seven goals in eight games. He scored both goals in a 2–0 win overFulham and scored his 77th goal for Chelsea from a long range strike in a 3–2 win overEverton on 17 December, overtakingDennis Wise as Chelsea's highest scoring midfielder.[66] Then in theUEFA Champions League group stage he scored a goal from an extremely tight angle against Barcelona, at theCamp Nou, the match ended 2–2.[67] Lampard finished with 21 goals in all competitions, including a career-high sixFA Cup goals. He scored his first Chelsea hat-trick in thethird-round tie againstMacclesfield Town on 6 January 2007. He scored two goals to help Chelsea to aquarter-final draw with Tottenham Hotspur after having trailed 3–1, and he was named the FA Cup player-of-the-round for his performance.[68] He gave the assist toDidier Drogba in the2007 FA Cup Final which was the winning goal in extra-time, as Chelsea won it 1–0. In a post-match interview following Chelsea'sFA Cup Final victory over Manchester United, Lampard said he wanted to stay at the club "forever".[69]
Lampard's 2007–08 season was hampered by injury. He managed to play 40 matches, 24 of them in the Premier League. This was the fewest league games he had played in a season since 1996–97. On 16 February 2008, Lampard became the eighth Chelsea player to score 100 goals for the club in a 3–1FA Cup fifth-round win overHuddersfield Town.[70] After the final whistle, Lampard removed his jersey and flashed a T-shirt to the Chelsea fans with "100 Not Out, They Are All For You, Thanks" printed across the front.[71] On 12 March 2008, Lampard scored four goals in a 6–1 rout ofDerby County.[72] Then in the second leg of theChampions League quarter-final, he scored the winning goal againstFenerbahçe in the 87th minute as Chelsea won 3–2 on aggregate.[73]
Lampard playing for Chelsea in 2008
On 30 April, Lampard, grieving the loss of his mother a week earlier, decided to play in the second leg of Chelsea'sChampions League semi-final against Liverpool, who were eliminated on 4–3 aggregate as he took an emotional penalty in the 98th minute of extra-time, which he scored confidently.[74] In thefinal against Manchester United, he scored an equalising goal in the 45th minute, asMichael Essien's deflected shot found him as he went to the box with his trade-mark late run, and he scored with a left foot finish. The match ended 1–1 after extra-time and Chelsea eventually lost 6–5 on penalties.[75] He was later namedUEFA Club Midfielder of the Year.[76]
On 13 August 2008, Lampard signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea worth £39.2 million, making him the highest-paid Premier League player.[77] He started the2008–09 season by scoring five goals in his first eleven league matches. He scored the 150th goal of his club career with a goal against Manchester City in thePremier League.[78] In October 2008, in the Premier League he scored a chipped goal againstHull City with his left foot; he unleashed a chip from 20 yards that curled and swerved and fooled the goalkeeper as it went into the net.FIFA World Cup-winning coachLuiz Felipe Scolari said after the game, "It was the best goal I have seen, my vote for World Player of the year award will go to him, only a player with his intelligence could have done that."[79] Lampard scored his hundredth career Premier League goal in a 5–0 victory overSunderland on 2 November.[80] Eighteen of Lampard's hundred goals were penalties.[81] He was named Premier League Player of the Month for the third time in his career inOctober.[82]
After a streak of matches without scoring, Lampard scored three goals in two games, the first being againstWest Bromwich Albion and the latter two against Fulham.[83] On 17 January 2009, he made his 400th Chelsea appearance against Stoke City, scoring a stoppage time winner.[84] He again scored a stoppage time winner on 28 February, this time againstWigan Athletic.[85] Then in the fourth round of the FA Cup, he scored a free-kick from 35 yards againstIpswich Town.[86] He scored twice against Liverpool in the second-leg quarter finals of the Champions League which ended 4–4, but Chelsea won 7–5 on aggregate.[87] Then he provided two assists in the next game against Arsenal in FA Cup semi-finals which Chelsea won 2–1. Lampard finished the season with 20 goals and 19 assists.[88] Lampard's 20th goal of the season was the winning goal in theFA Cup Final against Everton, with a left-foot shot from long-range.[89] He repeated the corner flag celebration his father had done after scoring the winning goal in the1979–80 FA Cup semi-final second leg against Everton.[90] It was the fourth consecutive season that he scored 20 or more goals.[91] He was later named Chelsea's Player of the Year for the third time.[92]
Lampard started the2009–10 season by scoring against Manchester United, in the2009 Community Shield, in the 72nd minute. The match ended 2–2, and Lampard scored in its penalty shootout which they won 4–1.[93] He scored his 133rd goal for Chelsea in a Champions League match againstAtlético Madrid on 21 October 2009, which moved him up to fifth among the club's all-time goalscorers.[94] He had been struggling to score the number of goals he had in the past seasons, however this soon changed as he scored two goals in the 5–0 defeat of Blackburn on 24 October 2009.[95] On 30 October, he was nominated for theFIFA World Player of the Year award for the sixth-straight year.[96]
On 16 December, Lampard scored a crucial 79th minute winning goal againstPortsmouth and on 20 December,[97] Lampard scored a penalty against his former club West Ham in a 1–1 draw, however he had to take his spot-kick three times due to players running into the box too early, he nonetheless scored all three.[98] In Chelsea's 7–2 thrashing of Sunderland in January 2010, Lampard scored twice to add to his league tally.[99] On 27 January 2010, Lampard again scored two goals, in Chelsea's 3–0 win overBirmingham City in thePremier League.[100] On 27 February, Lampard yet again scored twice against Manchester City but despite his contribution Chelsea went on to lose the game 4–2 at home,[101] for the first time in 38 games.[102]
Lampard, for the second time in his career, hit four goals in one match against Aston Villa on 27 March 2010 to bring his goal tally past 20, for the fifth-consecutive season. This also brought him his 151st Chelsea goal, and it put him as the club's third highest scorer ever, overtakingPeter Osgood's record of 150. Lampard scored in a 3–0 win, again over Aston Villa, in the 2010 FA Cup semi-final.[103] Lampard reached 20 Premier League goals for the first time when he scored twice againstStoke City in Chelsea's 7–0 win on 25 April 2010. This milestone also represented the first time he had hit 25 in all competitions in a season. On 2 May, Lampard scored against Liverpool in the second last game of the season to give Chelsea a vital three points that took them to the top of the league by a single point.[104] He scored one and assisted two other goals in the final match of the season where Chelsea thrashed Wigan Athletic 8–0 atStamford Bridge to win the 2009–10 Premier League title and give him a remarkable 27 goals in the season.[105] Lampard ended his season lifting the2010 FA Cup as Chelsea beat Portsmouth 1–0 in the final.[106]
The2010–11 season began brightly for Lampard, being an integral part of Chelsea's system as usual. After a match against Stoke in August 2010, which Chelsea won 2–0, it was revealed that Lampard was suffering from ahernia, which was successfully operated on. However, he suffered fresh injuries during training in mid-November,[107] and remained sidelined for a further three weeks. ManagerCarlo Ancelotti said that he injured his abductor muscle in his leg in training on 11 November, and would not be fit until December. He finally made his comeback after four months out injured against Tottenham on 12 December, as a substitute in the 75th minute.[108] Lampard scored a penalty in the 3–3 draw between Chelsea and Aston Villa on 2 January 2011,[109] the first after returning from injury. On 9 January, Lampard scored twice and gave one assist in a 7–0 win against Ipswich Town in the FA Cup reaching the landmark of 201 career club goals.[110]
On 1 February, Lampard scored a penalty against Sunderland, then produced an assist, with Chelsea ending up winning the game 4–2.[111]Lampard then assisted forNicolas Anelka in Chelsea's 2–0 victory againstCopenhagen, in the Round of 16 match in theChampions League.[112] On 1 March, Lampard scored the winning goal in a crucial 2–1 victory over Manchester United, keeping Chelsea'sPremier League title hopes alive.[113] Then in the next game, he scored two goals in Chelsea's 3–1 victory overBlackpool, and also contributed with an assist for John Terry to score.[114]
In April 2011, Lampard scored his 11th goal of the season in a 3–0 victory against former club West Ham.[115] Lampard scored again against Manchester United, but it proved to be only a consolation, as Chelsea lost 2–1 atOld Trafford, thus ending Chelsea's title hopes.[116]
In Chelsea's thirdPremier League match of the season, Lampard scored his first goal of the season and also provided an assist forJosé Bosingwa's opening goal, as Chelsea beatNorwich City 3–1.[117]
After not featuring in Chelsea's 4–1 win againstSwansea City on 24 September,[118] Lampard returned to the starting line-up for theirChampions League group stage game againstValencia netting an important opening goal in their 1–1 draw.[119][120] Lampard continued his fine form by netting his fifth Chelsea hat-trick on 2 October, in a 5–1 thrashing of Bolton Wanderers.[121]
In the eleventh round of the Premier League, Lampard scored the only goal of the match against Blackburn Rovers with a diving header, giving Chelsea a win after two consecutive defeats.[122] After starting the game against Manchester City on the bench, Lampard came on in the second half to score the winning goal from the penalty spot in the 82nd minute.[123] Lampard again proved to be the match-winner again as he scored in the 89th minute againstWolverhampton Wanderers, with the match finishing 2–1 to Chelsea.[124]
On 25 February 2012, Lampard scored his tenth Premier League goal of the season in Chelsea's 3–0 win against Bolton, becoming the only player to score at least ten goals in nine consecutive seasons in the Premier League and his 149th all-time league goal.[125]
Eleven days after the dismissal of managerAndré Villas-Boas, Chelsea hostedNapoli in the2011–12 Champions League round of 16-second leg, trailing the Naples side 3–1 from the first leg. Lampard helped Chelsea make a remarkable comeback, assisting John Terry from a corner for the second goal and then equalising the aggregate score from the penalty spot with a powerful shot to the left of the goal.Branislav Ivanović sealed Chelsea's victory in extra-time.[126] In the second leg of the quarter-finals of the2011–12 UEFA Champions League againstBenfica, Lampard converted a crucial penalty to give Chelsea a 2–1 win at Stamford Bridge, and helping them advance with an aggregate score of 3–1.[127] He scored the 150th Premier League goal of his career against Fulham in a 1–1 draw on 9 April 2012. In the semi-final of theFA Cup Chelsea defeated Tottenham Hotspur 5–1, in a match that would be remembered for an infamous "goal that never was" awarded to Chelsea'sJuan Mata. Lampard assisted Didier Drogba for the first goal, and also scored the fourth goal for the Blues from a free-kick 35 yards from goal.[128]
Lampard was pivotal in the semi-finals of the 2011–12 Champions League against the heavily favoured defending champions Barcelona. Bookmakers had Barcelona on the shortest odds to win a second consecutive Champions League title, and various commentators opined that Chelsea would have to produce their best two games of the season – and hope that Barca played their worst two – to upset the Catalan giants.[129] In the first leg at Stamford Bridge, Lampard strippedLionel Messi off the ball then played a cross-field pass toRamires, who set up Drogba for the only goal of the game, giving Chelsea a 1–0 advantage.[130] In the second leg at the Camp Nou, Lampard assumed the captaincy after Terry was sent off early in the game. Down 2–0 to Barça just before half-time, Lampard assisted Ramires' goal with a through-pass which levelled the aggregate score at 2–2 while putting Chelsea ahead on away goals.[131] Chelsea teammateFernando Torres added another goal in stoppage time to give Chelsea a 3–2 victory overall and produce one of the greatest upsets in the history of European football.[132] This set up Chelsea's match with Bayern Munich at theAllianz Arena in the Champions League final.[133]
In the2012 FA Cup Final, Lampard assisted Didier Drogba's winning goal in 2–1 win over Liverpool, the seventh FA Cup in Chelsea's history as well as the fourth of his career.[134] Lampard captained Chelsea in the2012 Champions League final against Bayern Munich due to Terry's suspension. It was a match where Chelsea were considered to be the underdogs.[135] After finishing 1–1 in normal time, the game went to a penalty shootout with Lampard successfully converting his team's third spot-kick, helping Chelsea win 4–3 on penalties.[136] As Chelsea's captain for the match, Lampard lifted the trophy with club captain Terry.[137] Lampard ended the2011–12 season as Chelsea's top scorer with 16 goals in all competitions, along with 10 assists.[138]
Lampard playing for Chelsea in 2012
Lampard missedEuro 2012 with a thigh injury,[139] but did play all of Chelsea's pre-season games, scoring against the MLS All-Stars[140] andBrighton & Hove Albion.[141] In Chelsea's first game of the newPremier League campaign, Lampard converted a penalty won byEden Hazard as Chelsea brushed aside Wigan 2–0. In Chelsea's second game of the season, three days later against newly promotedReading, he again converted a penalty won by Hazard as Chelsea cruised to a 4–2 win.[142] On 6 October, he scored his third league goal of the season in a 4–1 win againstNorwich City.[143] After six weeks out injured, on 16 December Lampard appeared in thefinal of the2012 FIFA Club World Cup with Chelsea losing 1–0 to Brazilian clubCorinthians.[144][145] He marked his500th appearance in the Premier League by scoring in an 8–0 win against Aston Villa on 23 December.[146] On 30 December 2012, Lampard scored a brace as Chelsea came from a goal down in the game against Everton to win 2–1.[147]
"You talk aboutthe Zolas and the best players to have played at the club, but for me he [Lampard] is the best. You can only single out two players to play consistently well and to score goals over the course of the last 10–15 years and that is him andRyan Giggs. It’s incredible, to see the number of goals he’s scored at such a high level as well – Champions League goals, Premier League goals – and the hunger. He is an example to all the players here."
—John Terry on Lampard scoring his 200th goal for Chelsea in March 2013.[148]
In the third round of theFA Cup, Lampard entered in the second half and scored a penalty in Chelsea's victory over Southampton.[149] On 6 January 2013, Lampard's agent Steve Kutner announced that Lampard would not be offered a new contract with Chelsea and would leave when his contract expired in June 2013.[150][151] On 12 January 2013, Lampard scored a penalty in the 4–0 win over Stoke City at theBritannia Stadium.[152] This goal made Lampard Chelsea'ssecond-highest goalscorer of all-time with 194 goals and moved him clear ofKerry Dixon and putting him eight goals behindBobby Tambling in first.[153] He scored his 199th goal for Chelsea in a 4–0 FA Cup victory overBrentford on 17 February, becoming Chelsea's all-time leading FA Cup goalscorer with 26 goals. Lampard's 200th Chelsea goal came against his former club West Ham on 17 March 2013, heading home an Eden Hazard cross.[154]
Lampard equalled Bobby Tambling's record with a long-range goal into the top left corner from just outside the box in the 61st minute in a league match against Aston Villa on 11 May. Then, later on in the 88th minute, he scored a second goal, breaking the record and securing a 2–1 victory for Chelsea.[155] In theUEFA Europa League final on 15 May, Lampard captained the London club to a 2–1 victory overBenfica, securing the 11th major trophy of theRoman Abramovich era.[156]
On 16 May 2013, Lampard signed a one-year extension to his contract with Chelsea, stating "I always maintained the dream was to stay at Chelsea."[157][158]
On the opening day of the2013–14 Premier League season, Lampard scored a free-kick in a 2–0 win against newly promotedHull City.[159] On 1 October, he scored his 205th goal for Chelsea in a 4–0 win away toSteaua București in theChampions League.[160] On 23 November 2013, Lampard scored his 206th and 207th goals for Chelsea against his former club West Ham in a 3–0 win.[161] Lampard moved to fourth on the all-time Premier League goal-scoring list on 2 December by beatingRobbie Fowler's number of 164 goals.[162] On 22 February 2014, Lampard scored a stoppage-time winner against Everton, initially credited to John Terry but awarded to Lampard by theDubious Goals Committee,[163] keeping Chelsea in first place.[164]
In March, in recognition of his contributions, Lampard was given share number 200 by the Chelsea Pitch Owners Association which owns the Stamford Bridge freehold.[165] On 2 April, he played his 100th Champions League match, losing 3–1 toParis Saint-Germain.[166] On 5 April 2014, Lampard scored the 250th goal of his club career in a 3–0 win against Stoke.[167]
On 23 May 2014, Lampard was included on the list of players released by Chelsea.[11][12] Lampard, however, said that any contract talks with Chelsea would be decided after the2014 World Cup, with a statement saying "he will meet with Chelsea before any consideration of a move elsewhere".[168] On 3 June 2014, Chelsea confirmed Lampard would leave the club.[169]
On 24 July 2014, it was claimed that Lampard, as a free agent, had signed a two-year contract withNew York City FC (NYCFC) to commence ahead of the2015 MLS season. It was announced at a live press conference inBrooklyn that he would be joining the club, which would be enteringMajor League Soccer (MLS) for the 2015 season. Sporting directorClaudio Reyna hailed him as "one of the greatest players in world history".[13][170] NYCFC's parent club, Manchester City, announced on 3 August 2014 that Lampard would join the club on a six-month deal ending in January 2015.[171] Initially reported as a loan, reports emerged on 31 December 2014 that Lampard had signed a short-term contract with the club as a free agent with his MLS contract not to start until the end of his stay inManchester.[172][173][174] The same day, it was announced Lampard would extend his contract with Manchester City until the end of the English season, missing the start of the2015 MLS season[175] and it was confirmed that Lampard had never been an MLS player with his arrival date in MLS unclear.[176][177]
Lampard extending his stay in Manchester prompted an angry response from fans in New York,[178] with NYCFC being accused of dishonesty for using the player in their promotional material and MLS CommissionerDon Garber being accused of poor leadership and a lack of transparency in handling the affair.[179][180] On 1 January 2015, Manchester City head coachManuel Pellegrini hinted that Lampard could extend his stay at Manchester City to a second season.[181] On 9 January, Manchester City admitted that Lampard had never signed a two-year contract with NYCFC, having instead originally signed a non-binding "commitment" to join the team.[182][183][184] The same day, Lampard confirmed his intention to join NYCFC at the end of the2014–15 Premier League season.[185] Around 300 people asked for season ticket refunds in response to the affair, while the2015 MLS SuperDraft started a chant of "Where's Frank Lampard?" from the crowd.[186]
2014–15: Only season in Manchester
Chelsea fans wave a "Super Frankie Lampard" banner during his appearance for Manchester City against Chelsea atStamford Bridge in 2015
Lampard made his Manchester City debut on 13 September in a 2–2 away draw against Arsenal; he received a yellow card and was substituted at half-time forSamir Nasri.[187] He scored his first goal for the club on 21 September with a volley from inside the box against former club Chelsea, having only been on the field for seven minutes as a substitute. Lampard's equalising goal ended Chelsea's perfect winning streak in the season, but it was a goal which hedid not celebrate, and he described it as a very emotional day.[188] In Lampard's firstLeague Cup match for City three days later, he scored the first and last goals as the side defeatedSheffield Wednesday 7–0 at home in the third round.[189] On 27 September, Lampard came on in the 71st minute, only to score another goal to make it four goals in four matches and his fourth that week.[190] He made his firstChampions League appearance on 30 September in Manchester City's 1–1 draw withRoma.[191]
"For me, what makes Frank Lampard special is how professional he is in training. You see him at training: He is the first to arrive on the training ground and the last to go home. He won everything with Chelsea, he's a legend in football and he's still playing like he's 18 years old."
On 1 January 2015, the day after extending his stay with the club, Lampard scored the winner for City in a Premier League encounter against Sunderland.[193] On 14 March 2015, Lampard made his 600th Premier League appearance, becoming the second player to do so afterRyan Giggs, coming on as a substitute during City's 1–0 defeat toBurnley.[194] On 24 May, Lampard captained Manchester City in their final match of the season and the last of his spell with the club. He scored his 177th Premier League goal to give City the lead in an eventual 2–0 win over Southampton at theCity of Manchester Stadium and was substituted forJesús Navas in the 77th minute.[195]
New York City FC
2015–16: Final seasons and retirement
On 10 January 2015, Lampard signed a pre-contract to play for New York City FC in MLS, beginning on 1 July.[196] Injury delayed his debut until 1 August, when he came on as a 69th-minute substitute forAndrew Jacobson in a 3–2 defeat to theMontreal Impact atYankee Stadium. In July, Lampard was one of the 22 players to be named to the2015 MLS All-Star Game roster.[197] On 16 September, he scored his first MLS goal as his team beatToronto 2–0 to end a three-game losing streak.[198] Eleven days later, Lampard scored the opening goal in a 2–1 victory overVancouver Whitecaps FC in the 29th minute of play; he was later also fouled in the area in the final minute of stoppage time, which allowedDavid Villa to convert the match-winning goal from the resulting penalty.[199] On 2 October, he scored New York City's fastest ever goal in MLS history in a 2–1 away defeat toD.C. United.[200] The team finishedits debut season outside a place for theMLS Cup Playoffs, which drew criticism from some in the media, who expected more from the club's trio of designated players composed of former Champions League winners Lampard,David Villa, andAndrea Pirlo.[201][202]
Having missed the beginning of the season with a calf injury, Lampard made his first appearance in 2016 on 22 May in the New York derby, playing the final 15 minutes; New York City lost the game7–0, while Lampard was jeered by his side's own fans.[203] However, he then scored in his first start of the season againstPhiladelphia Union on 18 June and was cheered by the New York fans once again.[204] In his second start, he managed to make it back-to-back goals againstSeattle Sounders FC on 20 June.[205] His fourth goal in five matches came againstSporting Kansas City in a 3–1 defeat on 11 July.[206] Lampard then took his goal tally for the season to five with the third goal in a 3–1 victory over the Montreal Impact on 17 July.[207]
On 31 July 2016, Lampard became the first New York City player to score a hat-trick, achieving this feat in a 5–1 win over theColorado Rapids.[208] Lampard finished his second MLS season with the club with 13 goals and 3 assists in 19 appearances,[209] as New York City finished in second place in the Eastern Conference, and qualified for theMLS Cup Playoffs for the first time ever, clinching a spot in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.[210] He featured in both legs of the Conference semi-final against Toronto, as New York were eliminated from the Playoffs 7–0 on aggregate.[211] On 14 November 2016, New York City announced that Lampard would leave as soon as his contract expired.[212]
Lampard announced his retirement on 2 February 2017 after turning down several offers, and said that he would look to obtain his coaching qualifications after retiring.[213][214]
International career
Youth and early career
Lampard wascapped by England at youth level before making hisunder-21 debut on 13 November 1997 in a match againstGreece.[215][216] He played for the under-21 side from November 1997 to June 2000, and scored nine goals in 19 appearances, a mark bettered only byAlan Shearer andFrancis Jeffers.[216][217] He was capped once byEngland B, playing in a 2–1 home defeat against Chile on 10 February 1998.[218]
On 10 October 1999, Lampard debuted for theEngland senior squad in a 2–1friendly win overBelgium.[219] He scored his first goal on 20 August 2003 in a 3–1 win overCroatia.[220] He was part of the team at the FA Summer Tournament (Manchester) 2004, which England won.[221]
He was overlooked forEuro 2000 and the2002 World Cup, and had to wait untilEuro 2004 to take part in his first international competition. England reached the quarter-finals with Lampard scoring three goals in four matches. He scored againstFrance andCroatia in the group stages. In the quarter-final, he equalised for England in the 112th minute againstPortugal, bringing the scoreline to 2–2 but England lost on penalties. He was named in the team of the tournament byUEFA.[222]
2004–10: UEFA Euro 2004 and 2006 FIFA World Cup
He became a regular in the squad following the retirement ofPaul Scholes, and was voted England Player of the Year by fans in 2004 and 2005.[223] He wasEngland's top-scorer in their2006 World Cup qualifying campaign, with five goals. He scored two crucial goals in the qualifiers, the first againstAustria in a 1–0 win, and the second being the winning goal againstPoland.[224][225]
InEngland's first game of the tournament against Paraguay, Lampard was namedman of the match as England won 1–0.[226] Though Lampard played every minute of England's2006 World Cup matches, he went scoreless as England were eliminated in the quarterfinals byPortugal on penalties, and he was one of the threeEngland players whose penalty was saved alongsideSteven Gerrard andJamie Carragher.[227]
He scored in a 2–1 loss to Germany in a friendly at thenew Wembley in 2007.[228] He was very disappointing during qualifying forEuro 2008. He was booed by England supporters while coming on as a second-half substitute during England'sEuro 2008 qualifying match againstEstonia on 13 October 2007.[229] Lampard sentStipe Pletikosa the wrong way from the spot and finished with one goal (in a 3–2 loss toCroatia on 21 November) as England failed to qualify for the tournament.[230] He scored his first international goal in two years in a 4–0 win over Slovakia in March 2009, and also created another forWayne Rooney. Lampard's goal was the 500th England goal scored atWembley.[231] On 9 September 2009, Lampard struck twice in England's 5–1 win against Croatia which secured their place at2010 World Cup.[232]
2010–12: 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012 injury
In the round-of-16 match of the2010 FIFA World Cup against rivalsGermany, Lampard had a first-half shot at goal that bounced off the crossbar and from TV replays was clearly seen to cross the goal line. If counted, it would have tied the game 2–2. However, neither the referee nor the linesman saw it as a goal, and play was continued. In the second-half, Lampard hit the cross-bar again, with a 30-yard free-kick. The final score was a 4–1 win for Germany, eliminating England from the tournament.[233]
As England exited the2010 FIFA World Cup, Lampard had already achieved the record of having made 37 shots on goal without scoring in a World Cup tournament, more than any other player since1966.[234]
On 8 February 2011, it was announced that Lampard wouldcaptain the national team againstDenmark in a friendly played the next day after bothRio Ferdinand andSteven Gerrard were absent through injury.[235] In theEuro 2012 qualifiers, Lampard netted two goals for England, both penalties. The first againstWales in a 2–0 win, and the latter vsSwitzerland in a 2–2 draw.[236][237] In November 2011, Lampard captained England to a 1–0 friendly victory over current World Champions Spain, a game in which he scored the only goal.[238]On 31 May 2012, he was ruled out of theEuro 2012 due to a thigh injury. He was subsequently replaced byJordan Henderson.[239]
2012–14: Final years with England
On 14 August 2012, managerRoy Hodgson announced that Lampard would captain the Three Lions in their upcoming friendly againstItaly the following day, which England won 2–1.[240] Lampard started England's first game in qualification and starred asEngland thrashedMoldova 5–0, with Lampard scoring his 24th and 25th England goals. His first goal was England's 100th ever penalty and his second was a header from a cross fromGlen Johnson, afterSteven Gerrard was substituted he captained the side.[241] On 22 March 2013, he surpassedDavid Platt asEngland's highest scoring midfielder when he scored his 28th international goal in a 0–8 win overSan Marino.[242] Lampard became only the eighth English player to earn his 100th England cap, doing so in a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine, on 10 September 2013.[243]
On 12 May 2014, Lampard was named in the 23-man England squad for the2014 FIFA World Cup[244] and a week later he was named vice-captain.[245] On 24 June, for the last game of the group stage, Lampard captained his England side to draw withCosta Rica 0–0.[246] On 26 August 2014, Lampard announced that he had retired from international football. He earned 106 caps, scoring 29 goals.[247]
Style of play
Lampard attempting to strike a volley
Regarded by some pundits, managers, and teammates as one of the greatest midfielders of his generation,[248] Lampard was an all-round and versatilebox-to-box player, who was capable of playing anywhere in midfield; throughout his career he was deployed as acentral midfielder, as anattacking midfielder, as adefensive midfielder, and even as asupporting striker on occasion.[249][250] He was also deployed as adeep-lying playmaker on occasion, in particular in his later career, due to his ability to build attacks with his passing.[251]
A hard-working player, with notable stamina and an ability to read the game,[249] Lampard was also capable of functioning creatively and starting attacking plays or providingassists for teammates after winning back possession, due to his technique, vision, and passing range.[252][253] In addition to his creative and defensive midfield duties, Lampard also possessed a keen eye for goal, due to his ability to get forward and make late attacking runs from behind into the penalty area, or produce accurate and powerful shots from distance.[252][254] These attributes enabled him to maintain a prolific goalscoring record throughout his career, despite his deep playing position.[252] Moreover, Lampard was also an accurateset-piece andpenalty kick taker, who was known for scoring with powerful, low driving shots fromfree kicks.[255][256]
Beyond his qualities as a footballer, he also stood out for his leadership throughout his career.[253] In 2017,Gareth Southgate labelled Lampard as one of the group of England's past players who were "very good", but below the likes of the nation's past "top players", such asGascoigne,Scholes, andRooney, commenting: "You've got very good players and then there are top players. In my time in the England setup, Paul Gascoigne, Paul Scholes and Rooney just had that little bit more than all the others. And we are talking high‑level people there, players likeSteven Gerrard, Frank Lampard andDavid Beckham."[257]
Managerial career
Derby County
On 31 May 2018, Lampard was appointed asmanager ofChampionship club Derby County on a three-year contract.[258] His first game in charge, on 3 August, resulted in a 2–1 away win for Derby atReading, withTom Lawrence scoring a last-minute winner.[259] His first loss as a manager came on 11 August in a 4–1 loss againstLeeds United, in his second match in charge.[260][261] On 25 September, in just his 12th game as a manager, Lampard's Derby County knockedPremier League clubManchester United out of theEFL Cup on penalties, following a 2–2 draw atOld Trafford.[262]
After a 2–0 defeat in the return fixture against Leeds United atElland Road on 11 January 2019 to further Leeds' lead at the top of the Championship table,[263] Lampard was critical of Leeds head coachMarcelo Bielsa, as in the pre-match build-up Bielsa admitted he had sent a spy to the Derby training ground,[264] after reports emerged in the press that a man was spotted the previous day outside the Derby training ground.[265][266] On 12 January, Leeds United released a statement in response to the incident.[267]Tottenham Hotspur managerMauricio Pochettino described the incident as 'not a big deal' and commonplace in Argentina.[268]
In his first season in charge of Derby, Lampard guided the club to theChampionship play-offs after helping them finish 6th in the2018–19 Championship season. In the semi-finals of the play-offs, Derby overturned a 0–1 home loss to win 4–2 away against Leeds United and claim the tie 4–3 on aggregate, setting up an appearance againstAston Villa in thefinal.[269] Derby lost the play-off final to Aston Villa 2–1.[270]
Upon the conclusion of the season, Lampard was heavily linked with the vacant managerial spot at former club Chelsea. On 25 June 2019, Derby granted Lampard permission to hold talks with the Chelsea bosses over said position.[271]
Chelsea
Lampard managing Chelsea in 2019
On 4 July 2019, Lampard was appointed as the new head coach at former club Chelsea on a three-year contract, making him the first English manager to manage the side in over two decades.[272] In Lampard's first competitive game with Chelsea, the club lost 4–0 toManchester United on the opening day of the2019–20 Premier League. It was the biggest defeat for a Chelsea manager in their first game sinceDanny Blanchflower's team was beaten 7–2 byMiddlesbrough in December 1978.[273] In Lampard's second competitive game, they lost toLiverpool on penalties in the2019 UEFA Super Cup.[274]
In thefollowing season, Chelsea made five major acquisitions in the summer transfer window inHakim Ziyech,Timo Werner,Ben Chilwell,Kai Havertz andÉdouard Mendy. Chelsea initially started strongly, topping their Champions League group and the Premier League in early December. However, after a run of two wins in eight Premier League matches, Chelsea dropped to ninth and Lampard was dismissed as manager on 25 January 2021. He remained on Chelsea's payroll to see out his contract, "pocketing £75,000" per week in compensation.[280][281] His dismissal came just 24 hours after Chelsea's 3–1 win overLuton Town in theFA Cup.[282] On 26 January, German coachThomas Tuchel was announced as his replacement.[283]
It was reported Lampard's departure was also influenced by disagreements with the club's transfer policy; Lampard is said to have requested the acquisitions ofPierre-Emerick Aubameyang,Declan Rice, andJames Tarkowski, with these moves being blocked by Chelsea's co-directorMarina Granovskaia.[284] Lampard also reportedly fell out with or had limited communication with some players, causing former teammate and club advisorPetr Čech to have to serve as an intermediary.[284]
Everton
Having been out of work for a year, Lampard was appointed manager of Premier League club Everton on 31 January 2022, after the dismissal ofRafael Benítez due to poor results. At the time of his appointment, the club was positioned in 16th place, four points above the relegation zone.[285] With one game remaining in the2021–22 season, on 19 May Lampard guided Everton to Premier League safety maintaining their 68-year top flight status. Having been 2–0 down at half-time toCrystal Palace Lampard brought onDele Alli and played a more attacking formation resulting in a 3–2 win for the Merseyside team.[286] Lampard described the night as "one of the greatest nights of my career".[287]
The following season saw the club once again fall into a relegation battle, with a run of only 1 win in 11 matches leaving the club 19th in the league by January.[288] Everton ownerFarhad Moshiri in an interview withTalksport suggested that Lampard's position at the club remained secure despite this run of form.[289][290] However, Lampard was sacked a few days later on 23 January 2023, just eight days less than a year into the job, after a 2–0 loss to West Ham.[291] Lampard was replaced bySean Dyche on 30 January 2023.[292]
Return to Chelsea
On 6 April 2023, Lampard returned to Chelsea by being appointed ascaretaker manager until the end of the2022–23 season, following the dismissal ofGraham Potter.[293] Chelsea's form dropped after Lampard took over and produced a first bottom-half finish since 1996 and a record low tally of points and goals scored in the Premier League era.[294] In terms of winning percentage, Lampard also had the worst record (9%) among everyChelsea manager who had led 3 or more matches, achieving just one win in his 11 matches in charge.[295]
From 2015 until 2017, Lampard served as a team captain on theITV comedy panel showPlay to the Whistle alongsideBradley Walsh. He was a regular pundit for football onBT Sport. For the2018 World Cup, Lampard was among the BBC's list of pundits as he insisted that it would not affect his managerial duties.[297]
On Sunday 9 June 2024, Lampard led England to a 6–3 victory as manager in the annualSoccer Aid game against the rest of the world. The match raised £15 million for charity.[300]
Lampard belongs to a family of footballers; his father isFrank Lampard, Sr., the formerWest Ham United player and assistant manager who was still associated with the club when Lampard junior was playing for them. Lampard's uncle isHarry Redknapp and his cousin is Redknapp's sonJamie Redknapp. His mother Pat, a librarian, died in April 2008 aged 58 as a result ofpneumonia.[304]
Lampard is aChristian, and credits his faith for helping him cope with the death of his mother.[305]
Lampard formerly owned The Pig's Ear, Chelsea's oldest pub, with his father. They sold the business in 2018, and his father then took over theGrade II Nightingale pub in Wanstead in 2019.[310][311] Lampard has retained the ownership of the freehold at the Old Church Street, Chelsea property.[312]
Lampard has had a troubled relationship with his boyhood club West Ham United where he was seen by some fans as a product ofnepotism. He claims that he often received negative taunts about his weight, and that during a match as an 18-year-old when he broke his leg in play, he heard cheers from fans. Following his transfer to Chelsea, Lampard turned against his former club and has since stated: "I remember whenJoe Cole first came to Chelsea he would turn away in disappointment if West Ham lost. I would smile. That's how deeply I felt. I wanted West Ham to lose. Now I don't even look for their results."[313][314] Later in his career, Lampard adopted a more mature attitude towards his former club saying that he had complete respect for the club and thanking Harry Redknapp andTony Carr for the influence at the start of his career.[315]
Controversies
In 2000, Lampard,Rio Ferdinand andKieron Dyer appeared on a sex video that was filmed at the holiday resort ofAyia Napa in Cyprus. Channel 4 aired a brief edited[316][317] clip as part of their 2004 documentarySex, Footballers and Videotape, claiming it was used to "remind the viewer that this is based on real life". On 23 September 2001, Lampard, along with three other Chelsea players, was fined two weeks' wages by the club for his behaviour whilst on a drinking binge on 12 September. Lampard and the others had abused American tourists at a Heathrow hotel, just 24 hours after theSeptember 11 attacks. A hotel manager stated: "they were utterly disgusting. They just didn't seem to care about what had happened".[318] Lampard apologised over his behaviour when he signed for NYCFC in 2014, implying that he did not mean offence and that he was naive and young.[319]
In 2021, Lampard was charged with using a mobile phone while driving after being filmed byCyclingMikey holding a takeaway cup in one hand and a mobile phone in the other.[320] Lampard hiredNick Freeman to defend him. The case was later dropped as the Crown Prosecution Service stated it had insufficient evidence.[321]
Relationships
Lampard lives inSurrey and London. He has two daughters with his formerfiancée, Spanish model Elen Rivas.[322]
On 24 April 2009, Lampard was involved in a radio confrontation withJames O'Brien on the London radio stationLBC 97.3.[323] Newspapers had reported that following Lampard's split from Rivas their children were living with her in a small flat while Lampard had converted their family home into abachelor pad. Lampard phoned in, objecting to criticism and asserting that he had fought "tooth and nail" to keep his family together.[324]
Lampard marriedChristine Bleakley, a Northern Irish broadcaster, on 20 December 2015. They have a daughter born in 2018[325] and a son born in 2021.[326]
Career statistics
Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[88]
^"Redknapp leaves West Ham".The Daily Telegraph. London. 9 May 2001.Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved28 November 2013.
^Winter, Henry (29 November 2003)."On the spot – Frank Lampard".The Daily Telegraph. London.Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved28 November 2013.
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