England midfielder Cole Palmer produced a dazzling performance to fire Chelsea to Club World Cup glory following a dominant 3-0 victory over European champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in New Jersey.
Palmer bagged two goals and assisted another as the Blues stunned the star-studded Parisians at the MetLife Stadium.
Chelsea took control early, with Palmer opening the scoring in the 22nd minute after Malo Gusto’s smart movement exposed Nuno Mendes. The 22-year-old doubled the lead eight minutes later, beating Gianluigi Donnarumma with a clever dummy and clinical low finish once again.
His night got even better just before half-time as he played a sublime pass to new signing Joao Pedro, who lobbed the PSG goalkeeper with style.
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Although PSG responded after the break with efforts from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele, they found Robert Sanchez in inspired form. Meanwhile, Chelsea remained focused and compact, frustrating their opponents at every turn.
Ugly scenes mar PSG’s meltdown after Chelsea masterclass
PSG’s misery deepened late on when Joao Neves was shown a straight red card after pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair. Tensions boiled over after the final whistle, as PSG manager Luis Enrique appeared to slap Chelsea’s Joao Pedro, needing to be restrained by Presnel Kimpembe. UEFA is expected to review the incident.
Despite enjoying a near-perfect season capped by a Champions League triumph, PSG failed to match Chelsea’s energy or organisation on the night. The Blues were sharper, hungrier, and executed their plan flawlessly. Maresca’s men now take home approximately £90 million, while every player – including the much-improved Sanchez, Gusto, and new hero Joao Pedro – left the pitch with heads held high.
Chelsea and PSG players now begin their brief holidays before returning for pre-season tournaments in August, ahead of a busy 2025/26 campaign.
Tags: Chelsea, PSG, #CHEPSG, #CWC, #FIFAClubWorldCup, Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, #ClubWorldCup, #COYB, #CFC, #KTBFFH, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele, Marc Cucurella, Nuno Mendes, Malo Gusto, Joao Neves, Robert Sanchez.
