Ashley Cole tips his cap to an ‘unreal’ Joe Cole — the most overlooked gem of his era
Ashley Cole is Marmite in London — adored in the west, still a pantomime villain up north of the river — but on the pitch he was as close to the perfect left-back as we’ve seen. Three Premier League titles, a Champions League in 2012, and a glittering England career from 2001 to 2014 tell their own story. Now part of the England U21 set-up, the former Arsenal and Chelsea man has lifted the lid on the most underappreciated teammate he ever lined up with.
The verdict: Joe Cole, the overlooked entertainer
Asked in a quick-fire round on The Overlap to name his most underrated ex-teammate, Ashley didn’t hesitate: Joe Cole. Coming from a player who shared dressing rooms with Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard, Petr Cech, Steven Gerrard, David Beckham and Wayne Rooney, that’s some nod. In the same segment he also outed Carlton Cole as the worst for music and crowned Wayne Rooney the most competitive — no surprise there.
Joe and Ashley were a menace together down the left: 126 matches as club and country colleagues, dovetailing beautifully whether it was England duty or under the lights at Stamford Bridge. Between them they racked up 163 England caps, but it was the chemistry — the give-and-goes, the rotations, the sheer understanding — that made them such a handful.
Why Joe Cole gets slept on
After breaking through at West Ham, Joe moved to Chelsea in 2003 and spent seven seasons at the Bridge, delivering 282 appearances, 39 goals and 47 assists, plus three Premier League titles and a bulging medal drawer. Under Mourinho he learned the ugly bits — tracking runners, tucking in off the flank, pressing triggers — without losing the street-football magic that got fans off their seats.
Even Pelé tipped his hat, praising Joe’s samba-style swagger while noting he’d be unstoppable once he picked his moments. That balance of flair and discipline is exactly why Ashley’s call resonates: Joe could skin you on the outside, pop up between the lines, or graft for the team when the game turned trench warfare.
The context: Cole on Cole
Ashley’s admiration goes way back. He recalls schoolboy days when “Colemania” followed Joe around London pitches — the kid everyone stopped to watch. That early hype sometimes counts against players, but Joe backed it up at elite level, producing in title races and Europe while sharing a dressing room stacked with megastars who naturally hogged the headlines.
Numbers, legacy and a record worth shouting about
Ashley’s own CV is outrageous. He started at Highbury, crossed the divide to Chelsea in 2006 and cleaned up domestically before heading to Roma (2014–2016) and LA Galaxy, where he chalked up 94 appearances. And here’s a gem: between 2004 and 2013, he went 34 straight home appearances without defeat — the longest such run recorded by any player in English football. That level of consistency frames why his endorsement of Joe carries real weight.
Pundit’s take
In an era obsessed with sizzle reels, Joe Cole’s influence sometimes hides in the detail: body shape to receive under pressure, the disguised pass that breaks a line, the selfless press that triggers a turnover. He was the street baller who learned the system — the entertainer who did the dirty work. Ashley’s right: Joe wasn’t merely a highlights merchant; he was a title-winning cog who made elite teams hum.
So when England’s greatest left-back of the Premier League era calls Joe Cole “unreal” and the most underrated he played with, listen. It’s the view from a man who knows exactly what greatness looks like up close.
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