OFFICIAL STATEMENT: MASSIMO ODDO
Media
Birthday
22/01/96
Birthplace
London
At ACM since
2023
Weight
88kg
Foot
Right
Height
1,91m
Ruben Loftus-Cheek was born in London on 23 January 1996 to parents of Guyanese descent, and into a family of footballers: in addition to him, half-brothers Carl and Leon and younger brother Joe. At the age of 8, he joined the Chelsea Academy and began the journey up through the various youth ranks, making his professional debut in a Chelsea v Sporting Champions League match on 10 December 2014. A couple of months later, in February, he was promoted by Mourinho to the first team, thus winning the 2014/15 Premier League. In the same season, among other things, he won - together with Fikayo Tomori - the UEFA Youth League, playing in the Final against Shakhtar.
He scored his first goal on 10 January 2016, in a victory against Scunthorpe in the FA Cup, and over the years he also proved to be versatile from a tactical point of view: after his first experiences in the midfield and as an attacking midfielder, he also played as an additional striker, as a False Nine but also as a wide midfielder and central defender. His career found new life on loan in 2017/18 at Crystal Palace, an experience that also earned him his first call-up to the national team. After playing in the 2018 World Cup with England, he returned to Chelsea and experienced, in 2018/19, his most prolific season (10 goals in 40 official appearances), turning out to be a key member of Sarri's team that won the Europa League.
After another loan spell in 2020/21 at Fulham, he returned to the Blues, winning a European Super Cup and missing the 2021 Club World Cup due to Covid-19. After 155 total appearances with Chelsea came the call from AC Milan in June 2023, an opportunity he accepted enthusiastically. In his first season in Italy, he established himself as a key to the team, scoring ten goals in 40 appearances, six in Serie A, and four in the Europa League. His second year proved more challenging due to several physical issues, but he still managed to contribute with another 26 appearances and helped the team win the Supercoppa Italiana in Riyadh.
