Ben Chilwell interview: Full-back on Strasbourg joy and Conference League hopes

"I like the ambition of the club," Ben Chilwell says of what drew him to Strasbourg in September 2025.

Manifested in the French side's run to the UEFA Conference League semi-finals, that ambition is now focused on overcoming a 1-0 deficit at home to Rayo Vallecano in Thursday's second leg.

English full-back Chilwell sat down with UEFA ahead of the tie to reveal his Strasbourg joy and reflect on triumphs past as he sizes up another European success.

Ben Chilwell on what he likes about Strasbourg

I like the ambition of the club. They’re such a young group, which has its pros and cons, but the pros definitely outweigh [the cons]. They never shy away from wanting to get on the ball, from wanting to perform on the bigger stages.

They’ve all got ambitions to play big European matches and win trophies. From day one, it’s been the talk in the changing room, and the talk of the managers, that the goal this season is to win trophies, and that’s still where we’re at.

On becoming a leader

I think it’s helped me to grow as a footballer, and I think it’s helped me grow as a person as well – just having a young group and feeling like I have a responsibility to help them in training, to help them in the changing room before matches, at half-time if things aren’t going our way.

Ben Chilwell has embraced a leadership role at StrasbourgGetty Images

On life in Strasbourg

It’s always been something that I spoke to my mum about. It’s always been something that I’ve wanted to do my whole career, to play football abroad. It’s very, very different to London, of course. But refreshing because it’s more quiet, there's more time to focus on yourself, to focus on your football, to take a step back when you leave the training ground.

On winning the Champions League with Chelsea

That’s the best memory I’ve had in football. The group we had, the friendship in the team, the friendship we all had with the manager and his staff. All of our families were there and you watch the Champions League from when you can remember. It’s the Tuesday, Wednesday nights after school, it was the nights that you were looking forward to watching the matches.

I remember I would have a little inflatable football and be kicking it around the house while watching the Champions League games, so it’s the trophy that you grow up watching, it’s the competition that you dream of being involved in, let alone winning it, so there was no better feeling that I’ve had in my career.

Ben Chilwell prepares to hoist the Champions League trophy in 2021Chelsea FC via Getty Images

On eyeing another European title

I’m sure it’s crossed everyone’s mind that we’re so close to achieving that, but we’re also so far as well. So, there definitely is the balance, because we have to focus entirely on the next match but, of course, to come here and to win a European trophy, and to see the impact it would have on the city and the fans and the club in general, of course it’s crossed my mind.

On Strasbourg's style

There’s no fear in the group. It’s a group of players that will go to any stadium and everyone will get on the ball for the whole match. The style of football we want to play is with Mike Penders, the goalkeeper, being involved in build-up, playing out from the back. You can’t do that unless all 11 players want to get on the ball.

What’s never been a question here is the desire from everyone to get on the ball, whether it’s the starting 11 or the subs that come on, because they’re a young group and, like I said, they have no fear.

*This interview was conducted on 23 April 2026