Joe Cole

For other people of the same name, see Joseph Cole.

Joe Cole
Cole in 2023
Personal information
Full name Joseph John Cole[1]
Date of birth (1981-11-08) 8 November 1981 (age 43)[2]
Place of birth Paddington, London, England[3]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2][4]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder, winger
Youth career
1990–1998 West Ham United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2003 West Ham United 126 (10)
2003–2010 Chelsea 183 (27)
2010–2013 Liverpool 26 (3)
2011–2012 → Lille (loan) 32 (4)
2013–2014 West Ham United 31 (5)
2014–2016 Aston Villa 12 (1)
2015–2016 → Coventry City (loan) 7 (1)
2016 Coventry City 15 (1)
2016–2018 Tampa Bay Rowdies 82 (20)
Total 514 (72)
International career
1997–1998 England U16 4 (0)
1999 England U18 5 (0)
2000–2003 England U21 8 (2)
2001–2010 England 56 (10)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Joseph John Cole (born 8 November 1981) is an English football coach and former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or winger. He is regarded by some commentators as one of the most talented English players of his generation and one of the most technically gifted English players of all time.[5][6][7][8]

Cole started his career with West Ham United, where, after breaking into the first team in January 1999, he played more than 120 Premier League games over five seasons. He was one of a number of players who left West Ham in the summer of 2003, after the club had been relegated to the Football League First Division, with Cole signing for Chelsea. He spent seven seasons at Chelsea, playing over 280 games in all competitions and winning seven trophies, including three Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a League Cup. He left Chelsea on a free transfer in July 2010 to join Liverpool, who a year later loaned him to Lille. After a season in France, he returned to Liverpool before re-joining West Ham in January 2013. He signed for Aston Villa in June 2014, then joined Coventry City on loan in October 2015, joining on a permanent deal in January 2016. This was to be his last club in England.

Capped by England at under-16, under-18 and under-21 level, Cole was a full international between 2001 and 2010, capped by the England national team on 56 occasions, scoring 10 goals. He was selected for the England squad at the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups and Euro 2004.

After retirement in 2018, Cole took up a coaching role at Chelsea.[9] He is currently a pundit on TNT Sports.[10]

  1. ^ "FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 – List of Players" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2010. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Joe Cole". Liverpool F.C. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012.
  3. ^ "Joe Cole – Sky Sports profile". Sky Sports. British Sky Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 31 May 2012.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference PremProfile was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Farewell Joe Cole, a gifted player born a decade too early". Paddy Power.com. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  6. ^ "Joe Cole Captured hearts at West Ham and Chelsea". Planet Football. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  7. ^ "Joe Cole - One of the most naturally gifted players Chelsea have ever seen". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  8. ^ "The Golden Generation's lost number 10 that shone at Chelsea". The Sportsman. 22 February 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Joe Cole returns to Chelsea as a technical academy coach". The Independent. 28 December 2018. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022.
  10. ^ "TNT Sports launches as ultimate home for sports fans - Who are the pundits, presenters and commentators?". TNT Sports. Retrieved 18 July 2023.