Chelsea legend Hasselbaink reveals why modern strikers have it easier

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Dutch striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink came within 13 goals of reaching a century for Chelsea, but when asked which defenders made life difficult for him during his playing days, he had two names ready.

Arsenal's Sol Campbell and Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand.

Hasselbaink scored 87 goals in 136 appearances for Chelsea between 2000 and 2004, establishing himself as one of the Premier League's most feared forwards.

Although he won the Golden Boot twice during his career, he never reached the 100-goal mark at Stamford Bridge.

Asked which defenders had made life difficult for him, Hasselbaink singled out Campbell and Ferdinand, revealing that the latter was a troublesome opponent.

"I didn't like playing against Campbell. I didn't like playing against Ferdinand. Only once I scored against Ferdinand. Only once. But I found it very, very difficult. He was very good. Very good," he said.

For a striker known for his goalscoring prowess, Ferdinand clearly stood out as a defender who could make him work for every opportunity.

But Hasselbaink believes the demands on strikers have changed considerably since his time in English football, with modern forwards receiving greater protection from referees.

Asked whether he would have found it easier to score against today's defenders, the former Netherlands international was confident he would have benefited from the changes.

"Now, scoring the goals, for sure, for sure. Because back in the day, in my games, it was a lot tougher. It was a lot harder. They could tackle harder. The strikers are getting protected so much more, so much more. So, you have to just use your brain a little bit more," he said.

Hasselbaink, however, was reluctant to suggest that modern players had become softer, pointing instead to the way referees now officiate physical challenges.

He cited Morgan Rogers' tackle on Everton midfielder James Garner as an example of a hard but fair challenge, arguing that such tackles were once a normal part of defending.

The introduction of video assistant refereeing (VAR) has also changed the scrutiny surrounding challenges, prompting Hasselbaink to acknowledge that the technology might not always have worked in his favour.

"I wouldn't say softer. I wouldn't use the word soft because I don't think that the players are soft. I just think that the referee blows a little bit quicker," he said.

"If that was VAR, I would be in trouble," he added.

Hasselbaink also offered his assessment of two Ballon d'Or winners from different generations, Michael Owen and Harry Kane, having played against Owen and later coached Kane during his time with England.

He remembered Owen as a quick, direct forward whose game was affected by hamstring injuries, while praising Kane's all-round attacking qualities and ability to create opportunities for his team-mates.

"In that time, Owen was very quick, very direct. But when he got injured on his hamstrings, he lost a lot," said Hasselbaink, who was an assistant to Gareth Southgate with the England national team from 2023 to 2024.

"Kane is somebody who can score all kinds of goals, all kinds of assists he can give. And technically, he is such a good player."

Asked whom he would prefer to have in his team, Hasselbaink chose Kane, pointing to what the England captain has achieved over the years.

"So, if I have to choose, I would choose Harry Kane. What he has done over the years, you have to clap your hands for him and you have to say, well done," he added.

For the record, Owen won the Premier League Golden Boot in the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons after scoring 18 goals in each campaign.

Kane has enjoyed even greater success in front of goal, winning three Premier League Golden Boots (2015-16, 2016-17 and 2020-21).

He was also the top scorer with six goals at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Kane further underlined his prolific reputation by winning the Bundesliga's Golden Boot in his debut season with Bayern Munich in 2023-24, scoring 36 league goals, and successfully defending the award in 2024-25 with 26 goals.