Claude Makelele is an undisputed Chelsea legend – and not just for his exploits on the pitch for the club.
Makelele turns 49 years old today and is a long way from his playing days at Stamford Bridge, when he used to marshal the midfield.
But the Frenchman’s deep connection with the west London club means he is still committed to helping them compete at the very highest level.
Makelele left Chelsea in 2008 after five years of playing for the club and retired three years later following a stint with Paris Saint-Germain.
However, he returned to Chelsea in August 2019, taking a job as a technical mentor, a role which sees him work closely with the young players in the academy and out on loan.
Chelsea are renowned for their prolific production line of young talent and, alongside former Blues players Carlo Cudicini, Paulo Ferreira and Tore Andre Flo, Makelele is key in preparing youngsters for the step up to senior football.
It is a role he appears to be relishing for a club he feels passionately about.
Early days
Makelele’s love affair with Chelsea might not have happened at all, had Manchester United, Inter Milan or “several other teams” got their way back in the summer of 2003.
Makelele was at Real Madrid, where he had won two La Liga titles and the Champions League in three years, but he was ready to move on.
He was then 30 years old and has admitted that he chose Chelsea simply because he had “made them a promise” after “they did everything possible to sign” him.
It turned out to be a brilliant decision, with the diminutive midfielder going on to win two Premier League titles, two League Cups and the FA Cup with the Blues. Makelele quickly became a fan favourite and the feeling was certainly mutual.
“I don’t know if that Chelsea [team] were the best team to have never won [the Champions League], but we were brilliant,” he told Four Four Two in November 2020.
“In my five seasons at Chelsea we reached the semi-final four times, including the 2008 final.
“Not many clubs achieve that, and many spend billions trying to achieve it. Chelsea created that team very quickly.
“Normally it takes time for a team to establish a spirit like we did. I remember playing cards while getting ready for games, to relax and laugh.
"A good atmosphere was created in that team and nobody in the world wanted to play us during those seasons.”
A change of role
Makelele was so important to Chelsea during his five years at the club that his playing style earned its own moniker.
“The Makelele role” became shorthand for a battling defensive-minded midfielder who was tasked with breaking up play before distributing the ball in a simple fashion.
That role has endured to this day – but Makelele has changed his focus from ball-winning to player development.
His Chelsea return came after a mixed foray into management, which included stints as an assistant at PSG, in charge of French side Bastia, as Monaco’s technical director and as head coach of Belgian club Eupen.
Makelele’s quotes from the day of his return shows the deep connection with Chelsea.
“I am very happy to come back home,” he said.
“This club gave me a lot and now I want to give back and help the young Chelsea players dreaming of a career in football. I want to use all my experience to help them become professionals in every aspect.”
Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia hailed him as “the ideal person to pass on his expertise to our talented youngsters” – and it seems he has delivered on that promise.
Makelele’s impact
Makelele’s job as technical mentor has a broad scope. According to the club , he is tasked with working closely with academy players, tracking technical performances in both training and matches while also keeping tabs on those out on loan.
Makelele has therefore worked with many Chelsea youngsters in the Cobham academy – but there are a few particular success stories for the Frenchman.
He worked closely with Trevoh Chalobah during his loan spell with French side Lorient last season, with a particular focus on breaking through the lines and starting counter-attacks from deep.
Makelele obviously did a good job, because Chalobah returned from France full of confidence and has since made the breakthrough into Thomas Tuchel’s first team.
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The 49-year-old has also kept a close eye on Conor Gallagher, who is starring on loan at Crystal Palace following spells with Charlton, Swansea City and West Brom.
As football.london reported, Makelele’s mentoring of Gallagher has a hands-on, practical aspect to it, with him visiting Palace’s training ground in October to help his former France team-mate Patrick Vieira with coaching.
Ahead of a match against Arsenal, Vieira allowed Makelele onto the Beckenham training ground to drill the players – a fact which shows how highly-regarded he is.
Passing on expertise
Makelele’s usefulness to Chelsea is not just limited to the practical coaching aspect, either: he is also inspiring players just through his presence.
The comparison between Makelele and fellow diminutive French holding midfielder N’Golo Kante is obvious.
And while Kante himself does not consider himself in the same mould as his compatriot, he is very grateful for his guidance at Chelsea.
“Whenever the international break came around, I would obviously watch France play,” he told UEFA last year of his childhood.
“And getting to watch the likes of Makelele or Lassana Diarra, I drew inspiration from them at some point.
“But in the end, I’m not like them. I was lucky to be in touch with them and they’re great players with their own career, and I have my own career and path at my side.
“I have had some chats with Claude since I came to Chelsea. He was here to give me advice on my play, and the impact I can have on the game.
“Being able to talk with him about that is beneficial for me because he knows the position.”
Kante is not the only Chelsea midfielder who takes inspiration from Makelele. Mason Mount grew up as a Chelsea fan watching the Frenchman do his business.
Mount came through the Blues academy alongside Reece James, Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham and grew up idolising the likes of Makelele and Frank Lampard.
It may be 14 years since Makelele stopped playing in the blue shirt of Chelsea, but his influence continues to be very strong to this day.