Chelsea

Pat Nevin
Former Chelsea and Scotland winger

Image source, Getty Images

While Paris St-Germain cruised in the second half against Inter Miami at the Club World Cup, Chelsea could have done without the extra stress of a two-hour storm delay, then extra time against Benfica.

Chelsea look more mature and controlled with each passing game right now - even if Enzo Maresca was less composed post-match, infuriated by the weather delay.

It does underline that if this is a dry run - oops, wrong phrase - trial run for the World Cup next season, then the organisers have unearthed plenty of problems from substandard pitches, limited local interest and potentially lethal weather.

Now the Club World Cup has reached the knockout stages, interest has risen, albeit only 26,000 turned up for the heavyweight battle between the Blues and Benfica.

It does beg the question: would there have been as many complaints had the tournament started here, with a 16-team straight knockout competition?

Football organisations are addicted to these group formats - or more specifically for the 'content' these games create for TV and thus the increased revenue for them.

However, a simple knockout competition, with the jeopardy turned up to 11 right from the start, is a huge draw.

Naive though it would sound to those obsessed with squeezing every cent of revenue from the game, it might just get more fans on board quicker.

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It is the old football cliche: take it one game at a time.

But it is often hard to believe that players, managers and clubs do not look ahead to what might be coming up - particularly in knockout competitions.

Chelsea's first thought will be with their quarter-final opponents Palmeiras, who they face in the Fifa Club World Cup on Saturday at 2:00 BST.

But with the last-16 exits of Inter Milan and Manchester City, the Blues could be forgiven for having one eye on who they might face next should they get past their Brazilian opponents.

Many had anticipated an all-European or all-English semi-final on this side of the draw, but Fluminense and, perhaps more surprisingly, Al-Hilal have put paid to that.

So what does a route to the final look like for Chelsea?

If - and it is a big if having already lost to one South American side in this competition - the Blues were to get past Palmeiras in their quarter-final, they would then face either Fluminense, who are captained by former defender Thiago Silva, or Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, conquerors of City.

That game would be played on Tuesday, 8 July (20:00 BST).

And if the west London club were to get past that test, it could set up a titanic Champions League-style battle in the final.

The other semi-final, 24 hours later, would see Paris St-Germain or Bayern Munich potentially play Real Madrid, if Xabi Alonso's side get through the next two rounds that include Juventus and possibly Borussia Dortmund.

It could provide a dress rehearsal for what is to come next season when Enzo Maresca tries to guide his side through the league phase of Europe's elite club competition.

Chelsea hope to raise about £35m from the sale of forward Christopher Nkunku this summer. (Metro), external

West Ham would be open to offers of about £60m for 24-year-old Ghana forward Mohammed Kudus, who has attracted interest from Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle. (Guardian), external

Ipswich Town have registered interest in a potential loan deal for Chelsea striker Marc Guiu, 19, after selling Liam Delap to the Premier League side this summer. (The Athletic - subscription required), external

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We asked for your views on whether Chelsea's reported £60m agreement for Brighton forward Joao Pedro is good business.

Here are some of your comments:

Azzan: While we could use defensive enforcements, the ownership dishes out £60m on another striker. He is a phenomenal player but he is surplus to requirements and for the fee, is not worth it.

Lewis: Completely unnecessary. Especially after Jamie Gittens joins. Our recruitment is starting to resemble Arsenal, where we buy more and more of the positions we don't need and don't recognise our weaknesses. I am surprised he came as he won't play. Brighton have done us again.

Simon: If they can offload the players not in their plans, keep the rest happy being consistently rotated and having enough playing time, keep the manager and stick to the plan, Chelsea may become a decent team in a couple of years time. But this is Chelsea, so disaster is imminent.

Ayoola: Chelsea's project has become chaotic: too many signings and a backlog of unused players. We need to clearly define our goals, maximize the potential of the current squad, and then strategically fill any gaps.

• Not a Chelsea fan? Find and follow your team here

James: Very pleased with this one. Thirty goals in 70 games is a good return and Pedro can take a penalty too. Very creative player who can only improve and is Premier League ready. Can see it being difficult to move players on. However, considering the long contracts and high wages, presumably the club will be looking for permanent exits rather than paying a portion of a salary for them to play elsewhere.

Ricky: Baffling. We have three forwards already, now a fourth? Even with potential player sales, why is another striker needed?

Stevie: Pedro will certainly help elevate our strike force if the stories about him joining Chelsea are true. Clearly some players will need to be moved on or sent to gain experience on loan. All we need to recruit now is a top goalkeeper and someone to deputise for Marc Cucurella.

Karan Vinod
BBC Sport Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea are expected to buy Joao Pedro in a deal worth £60m, helped in part by the healthy funds brought in from taking part in the Club World Cup.

Their likely new signing brings some interesting dimensions. The radar chart below, using Opta data via FBref.com, compares Joao Pedro's performance against fellow Premier League forwards - and the results are quietly impressive.

To understand the significance of this graphic, it is important to unpack what "percentile" means. Each stat shows how a player compares to others in his position. So, if Pedro sits in the 80th percentile for a certain metric, it means he has performed better in that area than 80% of Premier League forwards. It is a relative measure - not raw totals, but performance in context.

And with that in mind, Joao Pedro excels in certain areas.

He ranks particularly highly for fouls drawn that lead to a goal, a sign of his sharp intelligence and ability to manipulate defenders in the final third. For a Chelsea side that struggled to unlock defences last season, Joao Pedro's knack for inviting pressure in dangerous areas and turning it into goalscoring chances could prove invaluable.

His contribution to shot-creating actions (SCA) also stands out. This metric counts the two attacking actions leading to a shot, such as a key pass or dribble. Pedro ranking highly here suggests he is regularly involved in build-up, whether drifting into pockets of space or linking play with midfield runners. That skilset fits a fluid, possession-oriented system.

His goals minus xG - a metric that compares actual goals scored with expected goals - is also well above average. This indicates a forward capable of finishing at a level above the norm, whether through superior technique or instinctive play in tight spaces, with the caveat being there is room for regression here.

Meanwhile, his percentile in progressive passes received demonstrates his ability to stretch opposition defences and become a dynamic option between the lines - something Chelsea have often lacked in transition phases.

While his shot on target percentage sits slightly below elite levels, perhaps this is a trade-off for being involved across different phases of the attack. Pedro is not merely a finisher - rather he's a facilitator, disruptor, and spatially intelligent forward who enhances those around him.

In short, the data shows why Chelsea were willing to pay a premium. Pedro is not just a £60m investment in goals - he is a player who embodies the modern, multi-functional forward, and could quickly become a central figure in Enzo Maresca's attacking blueprint.

Emlyn Begley
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea and Manchester City are already quids in from playing in the Fifa Club World Cup - and they could yet end up earning loads more.

Chelsea's win over Benfica in the last 16, worth about £9.6m, takes their prize pot to more than £40m.

There is a further £15.3m at stake if they are able to get past Brazilian side Palmeiras in Saturday's quarter-final.

Meanwhile, Manchester City have earned prize money of roughly £37.8m so far, with their last-16 tie against Al-Hilal still to come on Tuesday.

City bagged the most of any team during the group stage as the only side to win all three of their matches.

Enzo Maresca's side were beaten by Flamengo in Group D, a defeat which cost the Blues about £1.5m.

It is less than four weeks since Chelsea paid £30m to sign Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, who scored in their 3-0 win over ES Tunis. But that transfer fee has probably been paid off already - or near enough - by the Blues' prize money.

Or else it has pretty much covered the £29m they will pay for Palmeiras winger Estevao Willian after the Club World Cup.

Arsenal have joined Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United in the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt's 23-year-old French striker Hugo Ekitike. (Sport Bild - in German, subscription required), external

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Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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With news of a £60m deal being agreed with Brighton for Joao Pedro, supporters of other clubs might well be thinking 'not another Chelsea transfer' or 'not another striker'.

The Blues have again moved aggressively and decisively in this transfer window to add two more forwards in Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro, having also signed Liam Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m.

It looks like Chelsea are stockpiling more talent, having spent about £170m on young players this summer, including Portuguese midfielder Dario Essugo and French defender Mamadou Sarr.

However, the Blues believe there is space for all the attackers to thrive, especially in a season where they will return to the Champions League following this lucrative Club World Cup campaign.

Pedro's arrival is expected to lead to an exit for Christopher Nkunku as they are similar types of versatile forward.

Meanwhile, Gittens will replace Jadon Sancho, who returned to Manchester United for a £5m penalty fee following his recent loan spell, with Mykhailo Mudryk still provisionally suspended after failing a drugs test.

Delap bolsters an attack that lacked a suitable option when Nicolas Jackson was unavailable, while Noni Madueke could also be moved on following the arrival of 18-year-old Brazilian Estevao Willian from Palmeiras.

Having done a lot of deals already, sources say Chelsea will now slow their activity on incomings and focus on the difficult task of player sales.

The one weakness with this approach is clubs interested in their fringe or wantaway players could try to force cheaper deals.

Joao Felix, Raheem Sterling, Armando Broja and Carney Chukwuemeka are not with the squad in the United States and set to be offloaded.

However, it would be unfair to say Chelsea do not have a plan and their embarrassment of riches in attack is something their supporters can be pleased about as they pursue success next season.

What do you make of the move for Pedro? Are you happy with what he would bring to the Chelsea attack, and how do you see the forward line looking next season?

Get in touch with your thoughts here

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter in Charlotte

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea captain Reece James has lauded his team-mates after the club survived a “disruptive”, nearly two-hour, extreme weather delay at the Club World Cup.

James opened the scoring against Benfica in the 65th minute and the Blues looked on course to win before the lengthy stoppage, and Benfica returned to score a penalty through Angel di Maria.

However, after a red card for Gianluca Prestianni, Chelsea then scored three goals in extra time.

James was critical of the difficult conditions in Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium but praised his team-mates: "It wasn't probably the most difficult [game] for 85 minutes and then we had to sit and wait for I don't know how long," James said.

"It took a lot out of the players. We cooled down and it was quite disruptive when you're in the flow of the game. We needed to restart the engine.

"We were keeping the legs going on the bike - a little bit of stretching, some music to keep the vibes there. It was in the back of my mind that the game wouldn't be completed.

"It was difficult. The climate was very hot and humid. The pitch wasn't the best but we got the job done.

"We came so close the end and it was difficult to get that kick in the teeth, but to go on and score three goals probably shows how far we have come. The red card probably helped with that, but we did well to get over the line."

Chelsea next face Palmeiras in Philadelphia in the quarter-final on Friday and James added: "They're amazing players and a good side. We're going to set out to win.

”We have confidence in what our goals are going into the game, how we want to play, our structure, defensively and offensively. I think that's more important to us. We have our structure right and we'll achieve what we want to achieve."

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Chelsea's Club World Cup last-16 win over Benfica on Saturday.

Here are some of your comments:

Dan: We play so slowly. Zero attack, unless it's a blatant chance which we don't often create. Really boring stuff. I still can't believe this is our best 11 after spending £1bn plus.

Michael: I thought Chelsea were dominant. Benfica really were never in the game If there was any criticism it would be that they weren't finished off before the very harsh free-kick that led to quite a harsh penalty being awarded. The referee wasn't very good.

George: Chelsea were fortunate again to win the game in extra time by what appears a huge margin between the two teams. The game was, until the last 10 minutes of extra time, much closer than the score suggests. Take away the fabulous free-kick from James and there was little else in the 90 minutes from them. We can blame the heat, but talented players like Palmer and Neto seem to have lost their flair.

DR-T: Considering Chelsea restricted Benfica to only one shot on target (and that was a penalty), the weather, the soft refereeing decisions and the soft local attitude to the weather - it was a pretty solid performance in the end. I'm most worried about how tired the squad will be when the new Premier League season starts.

Ahmed: A very good display by the players, though the subs seemed to be clumsy and worrisome at first. The weather impacted the whole thing and is the major concern. I see Chelsea playing in the semi-finals already and hopefully the final.

Freddie: Solid performance from the team all round, especially given the weather conditions. We controlled the game but dragged it out by not converting chances, which was a mixture of us and their goalie having a great game. Thought the new formation worked a treat and (apart from Badiashile) I could see that working well for us going forwards. COYB!

Dave: I thought Chelsea played quite well. I think Delap will become good but needs to get up to speed tactically with the rest of his team-mates. Moises will be a big miss next game which I think could be a tough one. The ridiculous two-hour stoppage can't happen again - people just won't bother watching this tournament or the World Cup.

CL: We played well and controlled the game but there were some pretty awful and very risky passing, in particular from Cucurella. Appreciate that it's been a long season and he's one of the players that's played in each CWC game (I think), but too many were to Benfica players or to no-one. If we're to fight for the title then we need to be better at passing, especially considering these Maresca tactics. Our passing needs to be more direct and urgent. Too often we're passing side to side, hoping for an opening - but organised teams won't give much away when the ball is going side to side!

Image source, Getty Images

"This is not football."

The words of Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca when asked about how the one-hour-53-minute stoppage impacted their Club World Cup last-16 tie against Benfica.

Blues defenders Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill and Tosin Adarabioyo were furious when pulled off the pitch - as was Maresca - having been on course to win with only five minutes of normal time remaining.

After re-entering the operations and dressing room area, players took turns to cycle on exercise bikes to keep their muscles warm and did kick-ups to stay fresh at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

Maresca explained the mood and why it impacted performance, adding: "So two hours inside - people speak with the family outside [to check] if they were good with the security. People eating, laughing, talking on their mobiles. It was two hours. That's why I said it's not football."

Captain Reece James added: "It was quite disruptive when you're in the flow of the game. Lots of substitutions - trying to get warm and stay warm. It was difficult and the climate was very hot and humid."

A senior Chelsea official admitted to confusion and relief around the senior staff after the match.

"You cannot be inside for two hours. It is something completely new," Maresca said.

"I can understand that for security reasons you suspend the game. But if you suspend six, seven games that means that probably is not the right place to do this competition.

"This is a fantastic competition. The Club World Cup is top; we are happy to be in the last eight.

"It's not normal to suspend a game. In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Probably zero. In Europe, how many games? Zero."

What did you make of Chelsea's display and what are the talking points?

Come back to this page on Sunday for a selection of your replies

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter in Charlotte

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea's news conference with Enzo Maresca - in addition to chats with three players - to preview the Club World Cup last-16 match against Benfica was all a bit rushed.

The Blues flew in late from their training base on the south beach in Miami having pre-booked it in the hope they would win the group.

However, a 3-1 defeat by Flamengo meant Chelsea finished second, despite victories in the other two Group D matches against Los Angeles FC and ES Tunis.

That has led to a Champions League-style matchday - the Blues flying into Charlotte for just one night, with the preview activity done at 20:00 local time (the equivalent of 01:00 BST) and then playing the game at the Bank of America Stadium.

Chelsea were previously based in Philadelphia, where they played two matches. They would return there for their quarter-final should they beat Benfica on Saturday, but they will not switch their base back to the city.

Instead, they will stay in Miami before potentially basing themselves in New York for the semi-final and final if they go deep into the tournament.

This is the best way for Chelsea to manage a challenging post-season tournament in significant heat, as staff just attempt to get their players through each round and see how far it takes them.

Similarly, Benfica manager Bruno Lage was talking up the challenges of the tournament, from the heat to the travel and the workload on his players after a long season, and how it will impact their 2025-26 campaign.

All the European clubs involved are trying their best to cope with these challenges and are maybe not the best versions of themselves.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter in Charlotte

Image source, Getty Images

Benfica manager Bruno Lage has described Chelsea's Joao Felix as a "special player" amid links of a move back to his boyhood club for the forward.

The Portugal international was not selected by manager Enzo Maresca to play in the Club World Cup and is expected to be sold this summer.

Felix, who spent last season on loan at AC Milan, has struggled since leaving Benfica for Atletico Madrid at the age of 18 for £113m - the fourth-most expensive transfer at the time.

The 25-year-old attended one of Benfica's group games in Miami last week and when asked about the prospect of Felix returning, Lage said: "We have talked about Joao Felix [coming back] since he left Benfica.

"He is a special player for Benfica, for me, and he is on his holidays. He is maybe asleep now because he is on the other side of the world. It's important to be focused on the players who are going to play against Chelsea."

Lage also said the player workload issues of competing in the Club World Cup are "very hard" and praised Pedro Neto, who he managed when in charge of Wolves and has two goals in two matches at the tournament.

"For me, he is one of the best wingers in the world. They are very good, but they also know that we are a good team. I expect an excellent game.

"When I look to my players, they give me the reasons to believe that it's 50-50. So, we go with that ambition [to win]."

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter in Charlotte

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has ruled out any potential sale of teenage defender Josh Acheampong.

The 19-year-old signed a contract until 2029 in December, but was linked last week with moves to Tottenham, Newcastle or Borussia Dortmund.

However, Maresca is a huge fan of Acheampong, who started against ES Tunis in the final group game at the Club World Cup, and ruled out his sale before Saturday's last-16 tie against Benfica.

"The clubs that you mentioned, they like Josh - but we also like Josh," Maresca said. "Any club likes good players. My plan with Josh is quite clear. I said many times that I really like Josh.

"He potentially can be a top defender for this club. It's on him to have the right timing to do the things. We are full of young players here, full of talented players - even defenders.

"The best plan for Josh is to be with us and I'm very happy if he's going to be with us."

The Italian was less strong when asked if Chelsea could sell fellow defender Trevoh Chalobah, though.

He added: "All the players that are here with us, I don't want to lose them. But then we said many times that when the window is open, unfortunately, anything can happen - to buy a player or to sell a player.

"Trevoh came back to us in January. We made the Champions League spot in the top four and that's also because of Trevoh. He helped us a lot. In this moment, he played also some games here.

"He is with us. We are happy with him. When the window is open, anything can happen - but not only for Trevoh, also for the 25 players of the squad."

With the knockouts about to begin, the Opta supercomputer, external has predicted who is now the favourite to win the Club World Cup and broken down every team's chances.

According to Opta's model, Paris St-Germain are the most likely victors but only by 0.2% with Manchester City, who have the tournament's only perfect record so far, just behind them.

PSG will face Lionel Messi's Inter Miami in the last 16, while Pep Guardiola's men will go up against Al-Hilal after both topping their groups.

Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Chelsea make up the rest of the top five, with the Premier League side having the most difficult route to the quarter-finals as they face Benfica in the next round.

Should both Chelsea and Manchester City keep winning, they will face each other in the semi-finals at 20:00 BST on Tuesday, 8 July.

Real Madrid are in sixth with just a 9.7% chance of securing the trophy.

Take a look below to see the full break down of every team's chances...

Image source, Opta

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo recognises he needs to decide "sooner or later" whether his international future lies with England or Nigeria.

The 27-year-old has yet to receive an international call-up for either his nation of birth, England, or parentage, Nigeria with the World Cup taking place in the United States in 2026.

Asked about his hopes for playing international football, Adarabioyo said: "The World Cup means it is a decision I need to take sooner rather than later. It is a conversation we will have and we will see how it goes."

The centre-back, born in Manchester, has been open to playing for England, representing the country from under-16s to under-19s, and being on Gareth Southgate's long list while playing at Fulham. However, he has yet to receive a formal call-up.

In terms of Nigeria, Adarabioyo has previously denied turning down any call-ups in the past.

Sources say there was caution in making any decisions after his recent move to Chelsea, with the defender publicly stating he wanted to focus on club football this season.

Adarabioyo is proud to have familial ties with Nigeria and last year his camp received informal contact from them.

Now, with stability at Chelsea after playing 39 games this season, Adarabioyo is approaching decision time should a call-up arise.

Meanwhile, several sources at Chelsea have praised the defender's off-field influence, especially at the Club World Cup where players are away from their families and with a lot of free time on their hands.

They highlighted his close relationship with star player Cole Palmer and nickname 'Uncle' as evidence of his influence as one of a number of leaders in the squad.

"I settled very quickly when I came and took on that leadership role to try and help the boys whenever I can," Adarabioyo added. "At Fulham, I was actually one of the youngest and now to come here and be one of the eldest, it's quite funny. But wherever I've been I've always been one of the leaders in the team."

One example of Adarabioyo's leadership was encouraging Palmer to say more in a man-of-the-match interview after the Conference League final, with the forward in turn filmed applauding his friend after winning 'Superior Player of the Match' in a viral video after the 3-0 win over ES Tunis on Tuesday night.

"No, I'm not a mentor (for Palmer), but I was looking after him a little bit," he added.

"He's a top, top player who doesn't need advice from me to know what he has to do but I'm there whenever he needs me.

"I banter him sometimes and tells he's a little superstar. He handles it very well."

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Neither striker Nicolas Jackson nor winger Noni Madueke are seen as untouchable this summer having been linked with moves away from Chelsea in recent weeks, but both would command large fees and are not actively being forced out of the club.

When asked about Madueke's future recently, boss Enzo Maresca said: "Noni is our player. You can read a lot of speculation at the moment, but we consider Noni our player for the coming season."

However, the arrival of 18-year-old Estevao Willian from Palmeiras after the Club World Cup would mean another left-footed right winger joins the squad in addition to Madueke and Pedro Neto.

The Blues' attitude towards sales of senior players is that few are considered off the table - except top performers Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo.

Midfielder Andrey Santos is attracting significant interest after a successful loan spell and has struggled for minutes in the Club World Cup, despite making his Chelsea debut as a substitute against ES Tunis.

The Blues would ideally want to keep Santos as a squad player but he could push for an exit.

Goalkeepers Mike Penders and Filip Jorgensen, midfielders Kendry Paez and Mathis Amougou, and defender Aaron Anselmino could all join Strasbourg on loan, but Chelsea are open to allowing their best young players to seek other temporary moves if they can find clubs with European football.

Attacker Omari Kellyman, a £19m signing from Aston Villa last summer, remains out after surgery on a hamstring injury but is expected to be back before the transfer window closes and is seeking a Championship loan move to get his career back on track.

Chelsea are out to sell the vast majority of the senior players not included in their 28-man Club World Cup squad, including Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Joao Felix, Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga, Armando Broja, Djordje Petrovic and Lesley Ugochukwu.

Clubs in Saudi Arabia are believed to be monitoring Felix's availability.

Certain academy graduates could also leave permanently, like Leo Castledine, Alfie Gilchrist and Sam Rak-Sakyi.

As first revealed by BBC Sport, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to join Arsenal for £5m.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Centre-back Mark Smith has described playing for Chelsea and his involvement in their first amputee final at the Disability FA Cup as "surreal" and a "pinch yourself moment".

The 40-year-old former soldier counts himself fortunate to be able to lead his side out for Saturday's game against a strong Everton, which will be broadcast live on TNT Sports.

After serving in Afghanistan, Iraq and Bosnia, Smith was involved in a training exercise accident in Canada in 2011.

"I took seven shots - six to my leg and one to my shoulder. The rounds to my leg hit my femoral artery, so I only had a few minutes before bleeding out.

"I flatlined for just over five minutes, so I was very lucky."

Smith spent weeks in intensive care in Canada and the UK but, after two years of rehabilitation, his leg needed to be amputated.

"I was discharged from the military in 2013 and was a bit lost because I'd only ever wanted to be a soldier," he said.

Smith got into bodybuilding, winning Britain's Strongest Disabled Man in 2016 and 2017, and the Arnold Classic World Championships in the USA in 2017 and 2018.

But he always loved football and got into amputee football initially at Peterborough United, winning multiple titles and earning two England caps.

When Peterborough's team folded during the Covid pandemic, Smith helped Chelsea to set up their amputee side - and they are now attempting to win their first trophy.

"The big kid in me never quite grasps who I'm representing," he added.

"I captained the team, and pulling on the Chelsea shirt and captain's armband, despite missing a leg, is everything I dreamed of as a boy - just not how I envisaged it.

"When my boys tell their mates at school their dad plays for Chelsea, it's surreal - a pinch yourself moment every week."

Chelsea's team has also qualified for the cerebral palsy final at the Disability FA Cup as they go for two trophies at St George's Park.