Emiliano Martinez Takes On No.26 Shirt at Chelsea: A Tribute to John Terry
Emiliano Martinez has walked into Chelsea and straight into a legacy.
The club have confirmed the Argentina international will wear the No.26 shirt following his move from Aston Villa – a number that, at Stamford Bridge, still instantly evokes one name: John Terry. The former captain wore it for the entirety of his glittering, trophy-laden career in West London, turning those two digits into a symbol of authority, resilience and silverware.
Since Terry’s farewell in 2017, 26 has barely surfaced. Kalidou Koulibaly had it briefly, Levi Colwill too, but the shirt has largely stayed in the shadows, more shrine than squad number.
Martinez has dragged it back into the light.
Stepping into Terry’s shadow
On paper, a squad number is just admin. At Chelsea, 26 is different. It carries history, expectation, and a certain weight in the dressing room. By choosing it, Martinez is not hiding from any of that. He is walking straight towards it.
This isn’t a keeper quietly blending into the background. It’s a statement of intent – to lead, to influence, to be a presence in the way Terry once was.
Martinez knew exactly what he was doing. And he knew he needed one man’s blessing.
Before committing to the number, the 32-year-old reached out to Terry, keen to ensure the decision would be seen as a tribute, not a trespass. The pair worked together at Aston Villa during Terry’s spell on the coaching staff, and that relationship opened the door for a candid conversation.
"I remember using the 26 on loan a few times with previous clubs, and of course I knew John Terry famously had the 26 here," Martinez said. "John was someone I spoke to before I joined, and he said he was over the moon to have me here. From our time together at Aston Villa, he knows how hard I work and what I can bring to Chelsea. The morning I signed, I texted him and said, 'I'm wearing your shirt, and I'm going to do it with pride'."
The message was clear: this is homage, not hubris.
A transfer that accelerated out of nowhere
The move itself developed at a speed that caught many off guard. Chelsea had given every indication they were content with their goalkeeping options. Then doubts crept in over recent performances, and the tone changed.
When the opportunity arose, the club acted. A £7.5 million deal for a World Cup-winning goalkeeper with nearly two decades of English football behind him is not the kind of market opening you ignore.
For Martinez, the switch to Stamford Bridge felt like the culmination of a long journey.
"It’s incredible," he said in his first interview as a Chelsea player. "It’s been an amazing few days. Obviously, it happened really quickly, but I'm delighted to be at this football club. I’ve been in England for nearly 17 years and to play for Chelsea is a dream for me."
Seventeen years of grinding, waiting, proving. Now, the lights of the Bridge.
Instant impact in a seven-goal thriller
There was no gentle bedding-in period. No quiet cup tie. Martinez was thrown straight into the starting XI for a wild 4-3 win over Brighton, a game that swung back and forth and tested every nerve inside Stamford Bridge.
He conceded three, but that only tells part of the story. In a chaotic, open contest, the Argentine produced a string of important stops that helped Chelsea cling to their advantage and close out the win. When the game became stretched and anxiety crept into the stands, he stood up, made saves, and bought his defenders precious breathing space.
Robert Sanchez still wears the No.1 shirt and remains a key figure, but the dynamic has changed. Martinez’s arrival injects serious competition into the goalkeeping department, the kind that sharpens standards and shifts hierarchies.
Now he carries Terry’s old number on his back and a fresh challenge in front of him. The shirt has history. The club craves stability and steel.
How quickly can Martinez turn a tribute into a new chapter of his own?
