When I went into a game, I rarely didn't have a rib, arm, leg, ankle or some sort of injury something always hurt' John Terry admits he was fit for just FIVE of his 717 Chelsea appearances

"I played 717 games for Chelsea and I could say, genuinely, I was 100 per cent fit for five of them. When I went into a game, I rarely didn't have a rib, arm, leg, ankle or some sort of injury – something always hurt."

"I can't tell you the amount of injections that I had to get through the next game. But that's because I wanted to play in every single one. That was just part of being a professional football and you can't sit it out because you're ill."

"The games come so thick and fast and you can't afford to miss one. The player who might come in to replace you might not be at your level."

John Terry, Chelsea's legendary defender who played 717 games for the club from 1995 to 2017, revealed he was genuinely 100 percent fit for only five of those matches. Throughout his career, Terry consistently played through various injuries including rib, arm, leg, and ankle problems, requiring numerous injections to compete. He attributed his longevity and willingness to play through pain to professional standards and fear of replacement by less capable squad members. Terry emphasized that the demanding fixture schedule made missing games impossible, as the replacement player might not match his performance level. This approach to managing injuries while maintaining availability became central to his successful career at Chelsea.

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