Cole Palmer Masterclass Leads Chelsea to Historic Club World Cup Triumph Over PSG

Cole Palmer lit up MetLife Stadium in New Jersey with a dazzling performance to guide Chelsea to a stunning 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup final. The victory makes Chelsea the first-ever champions of the tournament’s newly expanded 32-team format.

Few expected Chelsea to dominate the Champions League holders, especially after PSG's 4-0 dismantling of Real Madrid in the semis. But Enzo Maresca’s side flipped the script early, blowing away the French giants with a ruthless first-half performance. Palmer was at the heart of everything, scoring twice and setting up the third to hand Chelsea their second major trophy of the season following their Conference League success.  

Palmer opened the scoring with a classy low finish after a clever cut-back from Malo Gusto. Just eight minutes later, he found the net again, this time with a near-identical strike, capping off another incisive move down the right. Then came his assist — a perfectly timed through ball to Joao Pedro, who kept his cool to lift the ball over Gianluigi Donnarumma and seal Chelsea’s three-goal cushion before half-time. 

The first half may have ended with a 24-minute break thanks to an extravagant halftime show that tested IFAB regulations, but Chelsea’s rhythm never wavered. Even under the eyes of U.S. President Donald Trump, who was among the VIP guests, Palmer and his teammates stayed locked in and sharp. The win handed Chelsea around £100 million in prize money and a statement victory against one of Europe’s biggest names. PSG had dreams of completing a quadruple after their dominant Champions League final win over Inter Milan just six weeks earlier. But on this occasion, they simply couldn’t cope with Chelsea’s energy and clinical finishing, especially down the left side of their defense which was exposed time and again. 

Unfortunately, the final wasn’t without controversy. Tensions flared after the final whistle, when a heated on-field brawl broke out. As Chelsea’s players were celebrating, PSG’s Achraf Hakimi and Donnarumma approached João Pedro, who had just scored the third goal. Things escalated quickly when PSG coach Luis Enrique appeared to shove Pedro. The Brazilian fell to the ground as more players joined the fray. Chelsea boss Maresca eventually stepped in, separating Donnarumma and his forward, helping defuse the situation. 

Once calm was restored, Chelsea’s players and fans could finally soak in a memorable afternoon — one that ended with them lifting a historic trophy and making a loud statement about their return to the top of world football. 

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