Emiliano Martinez Takes Over Chelsea's Historic No.26 Shirt

Emiliano Martinez has walked into Chelsea and gone straight for one of the heaviest shirts in the building.

The club have confirmed the Argentina international will wear No.26, the number welded in Chelsea folklore to John Terry, the captain who lifted almost every trophy available while wearing it. Since Terry’s farewell in 2017, the shirt has barely surfaced, briefly used by Kalidou Koulibaly and Levi Colwill but never truly claimed.

Now it belongs to Martinez – and he knows exactly what that means.

A number with a history

At most clubs, a squad number is admin. At Chelsea, 26 is a statement.

Terry turned it into a symbol of leadership and relentlessness, a number that walked out at title deciders and European finals. By asking for it, Martinez is not just picking a shirt; he is planting a flag, presenting himself as a voice and a presence in a dressing room that has been searching for strong characters.

He also understood the risk. Taking over a number so closely tied to a club legend can feel like trespassing. So before he committed, he went straight to the source.

Martinez, who worked with Terry during the former defender’s coaching spell at Aston Villa, contacted the ex-captain to make sure the move would be seen as respect, not arrogance.

"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'."

Terry’s blessing cleared the way. The tribute became official.

A transfer that accelerated

The deal itself seemed to appear from nowhere.

For much of the summer, Chelsea briefed confidence in their goalkeeping options. Then doubts crept in over recent performances, and the tone changed. Once Martinez emerged as a serious target, talks moved at speed, ending in a £7.5million agreement with Aston Villa for a World Cup-winning goalkeeper who has spent almost 17 years in English football.

"It’s incredible," Martinez 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."

No long bedding-in period. No gentle introduction.

Straight into the fire

Martinez barely had time to unpack before he was thrown into the starting XI for a wild 4-3 win over Brighton.

Seven goals, chaos everywhere, and a debut that offered a snapshot of why Chelsea moved for him. He conceded three, but his night was defined by the saves that stopped Brighton’s comeback from spiralling out of control. When Chelsea wobbled, he held just enough firm for them to escape with three points.

Robert Sanchez still owns the No.1 shirt, on paper the senior role between the posts. But that hierarchy now faces a serious challenge. Martinez’s arrival has turned the goalkeeping position into a straight fight, sharpened by the weight of that 26 on his back.

At a club that once built its identity on leaders like Terry, Chelsea have handed Martinez a number loaded with expectation. How far can he carry it?