Cole Palmer inspired a stunning Chelsea performance as they downed European champions Paris St-Germain (PSG) to win the first edition of the newly expanded Club World Cup.
The England attacking midfielder scored twice and set up a brilliant third goal for new signing Joao Pedro in a comprehensive 3-0 win over in-form PSG at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Palmer placed a low shot past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 22nd minute after Malo Gusto ran in behind Nuno Mendes, adding a second with a neat dummy and identical shot from the edge of the box just eight minutes later.
His defence-splitting pass allowed Joao Pedro to lob Donnarumma just before half-time to stun a team branded “the best in the world” by Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca before kick-off.
In the second half, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia immediately tested Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, while his close-range save minutes later from Ousmane Dembele was even more impressive.
Substitute Liam Delap also had a good shot saved as PSG were left with too much of a mountain to climb after missed opportunities by Joao Neves and Desire Doue when the scores were level in the first half.
The game was all but over on 85 minutes when matters got worse for the Parisians, as midfielder Neves was sent off after a brief VAR check for pulling defender Marc Cucurella’s hair.
PSG manager Luis Enrique will also face questions after appearing to slap Chelsea forward Joao Pedro in ugly post-match scenes, with unused substitute Presnel Kimpembe having to pull away his coach.
Among the 81,118 people in attendance – the biggest of the tournament – was US President Donald Trump, who sat alongside Fifa president Gianni Infantino as Chelsea took their earnings to about £90m as they became world champions.
What’s the main talking point?
Palmer is literally and figuratively Chelsea’s poster boy, and he will take all the headlines from this final.
In New York’s Times Square, there are giant billboards featuring the 23-year-old’s image, and he recreated the famous lunch-atop-a-skyscraper photo for Fifa with Ballon d’Or-tipped Dembele before kick-off.
His fame could reach another level now, and he has become the face of a resurgent Chelsea, the Club World Cup following the Conference League triumph in May to show the investment made by the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital regime can lead to glory.
What happened to PSG?
PSG’s discomfort at losing heavily and comprehensively was shown in ugly post-match scenes.
Manager Luis Enrique, whom Maresca also previously labelled the “best in the world”, appeared to strike João Pedro and could now face punishment.
PSG had won the Champions League in a near-perfect season where they beat Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Aston Villa and claimed a further three domestic trophies.
But they never gained control on the pitch in this final, which ultimately led to both players and the manager collectively losing their heads over it.
Who stood out?
Every Chelsea player can walk off that pitch with pride. There were impressive performances from the exceptional Sanchez and Malo Gusto, who have faced much criticism in recent months.
Winger Pedro Neto showed impressive work-rate to nullify one of the world’s best full-backs in Achraf Hakimi, and Joao Pedro scored his third goal in three games since joining Chelsea during the tournament.
What’s next for both teams?
The Chelsea and PSG players have earned their holidays, with pre-season to be cut short at both clubs.
Maresca says his players will receive three weeks of holiday before they face Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan at Stamford Bridge in a mini-tournament on 8 and 10 August, with their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on 17 August.
PSG start 2025-26 with the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham on 13 August.
