Chelsea Football Club were crowned champions of the world on Sunday, dismantling European giants Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey. Cole Palmer’s first-half masterclass, featuring two goals and an assist, propelled the Blues to their second Club World Cup title, following their 2021 triumph in the competition’s former seven-team format. The victory, witnessed by a tournament-record crowd of 81,188, including US President Donald Trump, capped an extraordinary campaign for Enzo Maresca’s side, who defied expectations to topple a PSG team that had steamrolled opponents en route to the final.
Chelsea, who finished fourth in the Premier League last season and claimed the UEFA Conference League title, entered the match as underdogs against a PSG side fresh off their maiden Champions League triumph. The French outfit, led by Luis Enrique, had outscored opponents 16-1 in the tournament, including a 4-0 demolition of Real Madrid in the semi-finals. Yet, Maresca’s men executed a tactical masterplan, pressing PSG relentlessly in the opening exchanges to disrupt their rhythm. “I think PSG are a team that you either press them high or you’ll be in trouble,” Maresca said post-match. “The idea was to go man-to-man. We knew we couldn’t do it for 90 minutes because of the conditions, but we tried to be very aggressive.”
The game’s turning point came in the 22nd minute when PSG full-back Nuno Mendes gifted possession to Chelsea’s Malo Gusto. The right-back fed Palmer, who calmly slotted a low finish past Gianluigi Donnarumma. Eight minutes later, the 23-year-old Englishman struck again, finding the same corner with a near-identical effort, leaving the PSG defence shell-shocked. Palmer’s pièce de résistance came just before half-time, delivering a delicate assist for João Pedro, who dinked the ball over Donnarumma to make it 3-0. “It’s a great feeling,” Palmer said, revelling in silencing Chelsea’s doubters. “Everyone doubted us, but we proved them wrong.”
Chelsea’s goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was equally pivotal, making six saves, including a stunning stop to deny Vitinha’s dipping effort. PSG’s frustration boiled over in the 85th minute when João Neves was shown a red card for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair, an incident caught on video review. Tempers flared post-match, with PSG boss Luis Enrique appearing to confront Pedro, leading to a brief scuffle between players and staff. Despite the ugly scenes, Chelsea’s celebrations were unmarred as captain Reece James lifted the trophy, with Trump looking on, drawing mixed reactions from the crowd.
The victory netted Chelsea a staggering £87.5 million in prize money, bolstering their financial might after a season of resurgence. “It sends a big statement,” James said, eyeing further success. “Hopefully we’re competing for the Premier League title next season.” Levi Colwill echoed the sentiment, declaring, “It’s surreal. Our fans have bragging rights on every club in the world now.”