Cole Palmer delivered a masterclass performance as Chelsea defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3–0 on Sunday to clinch the inaugural expanded FIFA Club World Cup title at MetLife Stadium.
Palmer scored twice in the first half and assisted João Pedro’s goal as the Blues outplayed the reigning European champions in a dominant display. The 23-year-old midfielder, who joined Chelsea from Manchester City two years ago, opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a left-footed strike from the edge of the box and repeated the feat just eight minutes later. In the 43rd minute, he threaded a brilliant through-ball to João Pedro, who chipped PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to seal the game before halftime.
Pedro’s goal marked his third in just two starts for Chelsea, further solidifying his impact in the squad.
PSG, who entered the final having outscored opponents 16–1 and aiming to complete a historic quadruple after winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and their first-ever Champions League title, were rattled throughout. The French side’s frustration boiled over late in the match when João Neves was sent off in the 84th minute for pulling Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella by the hair. A scuffle followed, with PSG coach Luis Enrique and Donnarumma confronting João Pedro near midfield, requiring intervention to separate the teams.
The match drew a tournament-record crowd of 81,188 fans, including U.S. President Donald Trump. Chelsea, who had an extra day of rest after their semifinal, looked sharper and more energetic from the start.
This marks Chelsea’s second Club World Cup title, having previously won the seven-team version in 2021. Despite finishing fourth in the Premier League this season, they also claimed the UEFA Conference League, and capped their campaign with global silverware.
The Blues are expected to earn between $128 million and $153 million in prize money, depending on undisclosed participation fees from FIFA.
For PSG, the defeat marked their heaviest loss since a 4–1 defeat to Newcastle in the Champions League back in October 2023.
