TATTOOS are what keep Chelsea and England defender Ben Chilwell focused and level-headed.
Just below his left knee are 1, 2, 3 and 5 — the numbers embroidered on his red Three Lions cap as the 1,235th player to represent his country.
Ben Chilwell has a number of tattoos, each with their own meaning
Chilwell has the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 5 below his left knee as he is the 1,235th player to represent England
His left forearm bears the words “Halfway There” and he explained: “Because you are never where you want to be. You are always halfway there.”
Then Chilwell added with a smile: “And because it is halfway up my arm!”
On his right forearm there is an image of the Champions League trophy, lifted with Chelsea back in 2021 — but has he left some space for a potential Premier League title and World Cup?
Chilwell said: “There are a few spots. The World Cup would be a bit bigger than that though.”
At 25, he has an impressively wise head on young shoulders and also oozes confidence.
That is evident when talking about regaining his left-back spot from Manchester United’s Luke Shaw in the England squad for Qatar, despite eight months of hell due to injury.
Chilwell — a £50million signing from Leicester in August 2020 — missed the majority of last season after suffering a partial cruciate rupture to his right knee against Juventus in the Champions League in November.
He felt it buckle again during a training session on Christmas Day and had surgery days later.
Seven months down the line, Chilwell is now fully back — currently with the team on their pre-season tour of America — and is already looking ahead to the biggest stages.
Asked if he ever worried about missing the World Cup, he said: “It wasn’t about not getting picked, it was ‘more work hard so you do get picked’. It motivates me a lot more to do those little one per cents.
“We are still four or five months away from the World Cup so if I play well, I’m confident I will be in the squad.
“That’s my mental headspace. I’ve dreamed of playing in a World Cup and to know it’s just around the corner is more motivation.
“It would be the highlight not just of my career but of my life.”
Having played 90 minutes in the Champions League final win over Manchester City in May 2021, Chilwell then spent the whole of the Euros on the bench, not helped by a positive Covid test.
Rival Shaw missed just one game and scored in the final. Blues boss Thomas Tuchel claimed Chilwell came back “mentally exhausted”.
Chilwell added: “Mental fatigue is probably the best way to describe it. I was then trying too hard.”
Another tough time could have been the exit of owner Roman Abramovich but Chilwell said: “We’ve got new ownership, they want to get involved. The club’s in a good place.”
Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.sportingexcitement.com/football/premier-league/man-utd-planning-for-rest-of-pre-season-without-cristiano-ronaldo-with-cut-off-point-at-the-end-of-the-week/
