Cole Palmer delivered a breathtaking first-half performance as Chelsea stunned Paris Saint-Germain 3–0 to win the Club World Cup final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.
The England international scored twice and assisted another in a dazzling display that dismantled a sluggish PSG side, who ended the match with ten men. Palmer’s brilliance handed Chelsea their second Club World Cup title – their first since 2021 – in what was a thoroughly one-sided final.
While PSG entered the match as strong favourites after a dominant season in Europe, Chelsea – Conference League winners and fourth-place finishers in the Premier League – showed tactical superiority from the outset.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca had likened the tactical battle to a “game of chess” before kick-off, but it proved to be a swift checkmate. The Italian’s high-pressing setup stifled PSG’s rhythm and exploited their defensive frailties, particularly down the left.
The breakthrough came in the 22nd minute when PSG full-back Nuno Mendes gave away possession to Malo Gusto. Though his first effort was blocked, Gusto recovered and squared the ball to Palmer, who calmly slotted into the bottom corner.
Palmer doubled the lead after the half-hour mark with a moment of individual brilliance. Collecting a crisp pass from Levi Colwill, he cut inside, sold a dummy to a PSG defender and buried his shot into the far corner.
Just before half-time, Palmer turned provider. His clever run up the right channel was followed by a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Joao Pedro, who timed his run to beat the offside trap and deftly chipped over Gianluigi Donnarumma.
PSG’s frustration boiled over in the 83rd minute when Joao Neves was shown a straight red card for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair, a moment that summed up the French side’s unraveling.
Tensions flared further after the final whistle as players clashed briefly, but Chelsea’s jubilant celebrations soon took centre stage.
“It’s a great feeling,” said Palmer. “Even better because everyone doubted us before the game. The gaffer put a great gameplan out. He knew where the space was going to be, tried to free me up – I just had to repay him.”
Maresca’s blueprint mirrored that of Botafogo, the only side to have beaten PSG in the tournament. Chelsea’s relentless press forced repeated PSG errors, while their shape off the ball left the French champions with little room to manoeuvre.
PSG managed just one notable chance in the opening stages – a missed opportunity by Desire Doue – but after falling three goals behind before the break, they looked a beaten side.
“Chelsea were more effective than us,” admitted PSG captain Marquinhos. “They worked well on our slight weakness. Tactically, they caused us problems in the first half and we took a while to react. We need to adapt, because now everyone will study us closely.”
For Chelsea, it was a performance that signalled belief, resilience and a new era under Maresca – led by a young star who continues to dazzle.