Willian
From TheChels.info - The Chelsea Football Club Wiki
| Willian | |
| |
| Full Name | Willian Borges da Silva |
| Date of Birth | 9 August 1988 |
| Place of Birth | Ribeirão Pires, Brazil |
| Position | Attacking midfielder Winger |
| Chelsea career | 2013 - 2020 |
| Debut | 18 September 2013 |
| Games (goals) | 339 (63) |
| Other clubs | Corinthians Shakhtar Donetsk Anzhi Makhachkala Arsenal Fulham Olympiacos |
Willian Borges da Silva (born 9 August 1988), known as Willian, is a Brazilian international who spent seven years at Chelsea. An attacking midfielder or winger, he signed from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala in August 2013, having previously played for Shakhtar Donetsk and Corinthians.
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Before Chelsea
Corinthians
Willian started his career at Corinthians having come through the São Paulo club's youth system. He made his debut in May 2007 at the age of 18 [1] and went on to make 16 league appearances, scoring twice.
Shakhtar Donetsk
Just three-and-a-half months after making his debut for Corinthians, and still a teenager, Willian made the move to Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk for a fee of around £12m. [2] He made his debut on 15 September 2007 and went on to make 28 appearances in his debut season, scoring once. He subsequently established himself in what was a highly successful side, his team winning four league championships and three Ukrainian Cups between 2008 and 2012, with Willian one of the stand-out performers. Donetsk were also successful in European competition, winning the UEFA Cup in 2009. In 2012 Willian faced Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League group stage, impressing in both ties and scoring twice at Stamford Bridge against the reigning European champions. Despite losing that match 3-2 the Ukrainian champions eventually reached the knock-out stages at Chelsea's expense.
Anzhi Makhachkala
Now established as a significant player on the European stage, Willian was sold to ambitious Russian Premier League side Anzhi Makhachkala on 31 January 2013 for a reported fee of €35m (£30m). [3] The Brazilian was one of many expensive signings in the two years since Dagestani billionaire Suleyman Kerimov had taken control of the club, but in early August 2013, following a lack of success on the field, all of the club's players were reported to be for sale after Kerimov drastically reduced the club's considerable budget. [4] As one of Anzhi's most valuable assets, recent signing Willian became the subject of considerable transfer speculation over the following days, with a move to the English Premier League reported to be the player's likely destination. Initially Liverpool were reported to be favourites to sign the Brazilian, with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur also cited as possible suitors in the UK media. [5] Just a few days later Willian seemed set to sign for Tottenham; the Brazilian having flown to London for a medical ahead of a reported £30m move. [6] However on 22 August reports emerged that Chelsea had intervened by submitting a similar bid to Anzhi, [7] and his signing was confirmed a few days later. [8]
Chelsea career
Willian was confirmed as a Chelsea player on 28 August, for a fee in the region of £32m, after Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich had reportedly contacted fellow Russian billionaire Kerimov personally. Clearly happy with the late change of destination, the Brazilian international commented "I'm very happy to be here, it's been a dream of mine to come and play here. Chelsea are one of the best clubs in the world, and now I'm going to play for one of the best managers in the world, so I'm very happy and looking forward to it." [9]
Willian made his Chelsea debut as a substitute in a shock home loss against FC Basel, and made his full debut for the club in a League Cup win against Swindon Town the following week. He scored his first goal for Chelsea on his Premier League debut, a sublime long-range effort against Norwich City that clinched a 3-1 win for the Blues in early October. Having been eased into the Chelsea side by José Mourinho, by December Willian had established himself as a regular starter along side Oscar and Eden Hazard in the triumverate of attacking midfielders behind the striker. By the turn of the year he was consistently demonstrating his skill in attacking areas and his notable workrate was no doubt a factor in Mourinho's evident faith in the Brazilian. He scored his second goal for the club against Southampton on New Year's Day. Reflecting on his move to Chelsea in January 2014 he told the FIFA website “I kept an eye on Chelsea’s fortunes after they first tried to sign me. I developed a bit of a soft spot for the club. The problem was that Shakhtar didn’t want to let me go. And then Anzhi came in and met my release clause fee... But that made my desire to play for Chelsea all the stronger. It took a while, but now I’m here, and I couldn’t be happier.” [10]
2013–14 Season
Willian quickly adapted to English football, impressing with his pace, work rate, and tactical discipline. Often deployed on the right wing, he contributed both in attack and defence, earning Mourinho’s trust. While Chelsea narrowly missed out on silverware, finishing third in the league and reaching the Champions League semi-finals, Willian's debut season was promising, and he quickly became known for his set-piece ability and tireless energy.
2014–15 Season
Willian played an important supporting role in Chelsea’s dominant title-winning campaign. Though not prolific in terms of goals or assists, he was a key cog in Mourinho’s counter-attacking system, often tracking back to help the full-backs and covering ground tirelessly. His work rate was unmatched, and his performances in big games, especially in Europe, earned plaudits. Chelsea won the Premier League and League Cup, with Willian featuring regularly in both competitions. His versatility allowed him to operate centrally or on either wing as needed.
2015–16 Season
In a season where most Chelsea players struggled, Willian emerged as one of the few bright spots. With Eden Hazard off form and the team in crisis, Willian stepped up, scoring spectacular free kicks and often carrying the team creatively. He scored 5 goals in the Champions League group stage and was voted Chelsea's Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season. His consistent performances and attitude earned him widespread respect, even as Chelsea finished 10th in the league.
2016–17 Season
Willian started the season strongly but saw his starting spot taken by Pedro under Conte's new 3-4-3 system. Despite this, he remained an important squad player, scoring crucial goals including a brace against Stoke and a goal in the FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham. Chelsea won the Premier League with Willian contributing in key matches from the bench and rotation. He showed professionalism and impact in limited minutes.
2017–18 Season
This was one of Willian’s most productive seasons for Chelsea. He had a particularly strong spell in early 2018, scoring and assisting regularly, including a standout performance against Barcelona in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg, where he scored and hit the post twice. Although he was controversially benched in the FA Cup final, which Chelsea won against Manchester United, his performances across the campaign made him a fan favourite. Rumors of a fallout with Conte grew after he posted a photo blocking out the manager with emojis on Instagram after the cup final win.
2018–19 Season
Under Maurizio Sarri, Willian remained a regular starter, often alternating with Pedro. Though not as explosive as in previous seasons, he continued to contribute with goals and assists, especially in cup competitions. He played a role in Chelsea’s successful Europa League campaign, starting the final against Arsenal and assisting one of the goals in the 4–1 win. Chelsea also finished third in the Premier League, and Willian passed the 50-goal mark for the club during this season.
2019–20 Season
In his final season at the club, Willian took on a leadership role in a young Chelsea squad under new manager Frank Lampard. With Eden Hazard gone, Willian stepped up as one of the most experienced players, often wearing the captain’s armband. He scored a memorable brace against Tottenham and delivered consistently strong performances, especially post-lockdown. Willian finished the season as one of Chelsea’s most productive players. He left the club after his contract expired in August 2020, joining Arsenal on a free transfer after seven successful years.
Statistics
- See also: List of Willian goals
| Season | Prem | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |
| 2013-14 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 4 |
| 2014-15 | 36 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 4 |
| 2015-16 | 35 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 11 |
| 2016-17 | 34 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 12 |
| 2017-18 | 36 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 55 | 13 |
| 2018-19 | 32 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 56 | 8 |
| 2019-20 | 36 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 11 |
| Total | 234 | 37 | 27 | 11 | 19 | 2 | 56 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 339 | 63 |
- Correct as of the end of the 2019-20 season"
Honours
Club
- Shakhtar Donetsk
- Ukrainian Premier League: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012
- Ukrainian Cup: 2008, 2011, 2012
- Ukrainian Super Cup: 2008, 2010, 2012
- UEFA Cup: 2009
- Chelsea
- Premier League: 2014-15, 2016-17
- FA Cup: 2018
- League Cup: 2015
- UEFA Europa League: 2018-19
