Cole, who retired from professional football last year, made 384 total EPL appearances during his illustrious career. It was his consistency which helped establish the England international as one of the world’s best fullbacks of all-time.

After a hard-fought 1-0 win over Portsmouth, Carlo Ancelotti’s side broke records in 2010 - securing the first EPL and FA Cup double in club history, making the Blues only the seventh club to have achieved such rare distinction since league football began in 1888.

The six-time EPL champions have won eight trophies across all competitions in the decade since then, including two Premier League titles (2015, 2017).

Record-breaker Cole remembers his EPL and FA Cup achievements

EPL legend Cole remembers that particular day fondly, after breaking a record himself.

He became the most successful player in FA Cup history, breaking a record that stood for 132 years prior, before adding one more to his collection two seasons later.

Cole won it three times with EPL rivals Arsenal (2002, ‘03, ‘05), before securing four titles during his eight-year spell at the Blues (‘07, ‘09, ‘11, ‘12). Now he’s retired, the 39-year-old better appreciates personal accomplishments that he continuously racked up during his career.

As quoted by Chelsea’s official website, he said:

Cole continued by saying he was fortunate to have played in two good teams who were hungry to win the FA Cup, though Chelsea’s “English mentality and core” meant they always wanted to succeed in football’s oldest club competition.

Cole with high hopes for Chelsea’s EPL young stars

He’s now coaching in the club’s academy but has high hopes for the crop of young players who have broken into the first-team picture this season.

Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount and top goalscorer Tammy Abraham are just a handful of players who asserted their EPL credentials before play was suspended in March.

Chelsea were sitting fourth in the final Champions League place at the time. Cole said he can see the pieces of the puzzle coming together nicely for another success-laden generation.

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