Chelsea Stun PSG to Claim Club World Cup Glory

Paris St-Germain had dominated their opponents throughout the season, clinching the Ligue 1 title by early April and overpowering Inter Milan in a Champions League final that was almost too lopsided to fathom. Their momentum carried into the Club World Cup, where they dispatched Bayern Munich despite being reduced to nine players and then routed Real Madrid 4-0 en route to the final in New Jersey. Yet, despite being favored to overwhelm Chelsea, it was PSG who were left reeling.

Before Coldplay’s vibrant halftime performance lit up the stadium, Cole Palmer had already netted two brilliant goals and set up another for Joao Pedro, giving Chelsea a commanding 3-0 lead. That scoreline held until the final whistle.

"I've never seen PSG turn the ball over as much as they have in this first half," said former England midfielder Andros Townsend on Dazn.
"Full credit to Chelsea for their willingness to track the ball in this New York heat."

Townsend expressed disbelief at the spectacle unfolding on the MetLife Stadium pitch, a sentiment echoed widely. As pundit Gareth Bale aptly put it: "PSG have been PSG'd."

So, how did Enzo Maresca’s squad pull off this upset? And just how formidable are Chelsea?

Palmer Shines as Chelsea Deliver a Tactical Triumph

As has been the case for the past two seasons, Chelsea’s success hinged on Cole Palmer’s brilliance. The 23-year-old, often deployed centrally as a traditional number 10 this season, had at times found the role challenging. He recently admitted to enduring a "difficult time these past whatever months on and off the pitch," having gone 18 matches without scoring. However, shifted back to the right—a position he dominated under former manager Mauricio Pochettino—Palmer rediscovered his spark during the tournament.

Chelsea’s game plan was evident from the outset, with Maresca emphasizing a blistering start. "The idea was go man-to-man because if you leave spaces to PSG they will kill you, so we tried to be very aggressive and suffocate them early on and that intensity was crucial in the first 10 minutes," Maresca said.

This graphic illustrates the average positions of Chelsea’s players in the final, highlighting Joao Pedro (number 20) and Cole Palmer (number 10).

Once Chelsea established dominance, they zeroed in on PSG’s left flank, with Joao Pedro frequently drifting wide to combine with Palmer. Their approach was direct, with precise passes lofted behind PSG’s backline, leaving left-back Nuno Mendes overwhelmed.

"We had a lot of success exploring the left side of their defence," said Maresca. "Things worked perfectly for us due to the effort the players put."

Townsend hailed it as a "tactical masterclass."
"That’s what they’ve done—they’ve stretched this PSG defence, we’ve never seen a team do this to them," added former Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi.

'We Value It as Much as the Champions League... Perhaps Even More'

The significance of the expanded Club World Cup has sparked debate, but the title bestows the right to be called world champions until the next edition in 2029. Chelsea will also sport a badge on their kits to mark the achievement, alongside prize money estimated between £80m and £90m.

"The fans will have bragging rights for the next four years," said Townsend.
"Nobody will be able to say anything to Chelsea fans because they are world champions—not for one year but for four years until 2029. Wow, what an achievement."

The players and staff celebrated with the fervor reserved for a Champions League or Premier League triumph. Tensions flared post-match as PSG’s players, visibly shaken by the loss, clashed with Chelsea’s squad, with Maresca stepping in to defuse the situation.

"I feel that this competition will be as important as or even more important than the Champions League," said Maresca.
"I was lucky enough to be part of a coaching staff [at Manchester City] that won the Champions League three years ago, but this competition features the best clubs in the world. That’s why we value it as much as the Champions League, or perhaps even more.
"For us, it was a great triumph. Allowing Chelsea fans to wear that world champion patch on their shirts is a source of pride for us."

Palmer echoed the sentiment: "It’s a great feeling. Even better because everyone doubted us before the game, we knew that. To put a fight on like we did, it’s good."

A Defining Victory—and a Glimpse of the Future?

Chelsea’s recruitment under Todd Boehly has often been mocked, with approximately £1.5bn spent on players since his 2022 takeover, including lengthy contracts of seven, eight, and nine years. Eighteen months ago, Gary Neville dubbed them "billion-pound bottle-jobs" after their Carabao Cup final loss to Liverpool.

Yet, with the Conference League and now the Club World Cup in their trophy cabinet this year, Chelsea are proving their detractors wrong. Boasting the youngest squad at the tournament, with no player older than 27, their potential is undeniable.

Could a Premier League title challenge be on the horizon? Gareth Bale, commentating for Dazn, believes it’s possible: "I don’t think they’re far off at all. Last season before Christmas everyone was talking about them as contenders.
"Obviously they’re a young team and fell, but I think they’ll learn a lot from that. They’ve shown a lot of character to come back and win the Conference League and now this. Confidence will be booming—they’ll have that self-belief now."

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly embraced manager Enzo Maresca on the podium after the game.

BBC Sport reporter Nizaar Kinsella, observing from MetLife Stadium, noted: "Chelsea are firmly behind Maresca and there is a sense of stability about the club for the first time since the UK government placed sanctions on Roman Abramovich after the war in Ukraine started in March 2022.
"This is a new club—but one capable of winning again—and those involved want recognition for their achievements.
"Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez should be considered among the best midfielders in the world. Marc Cucurella is arguably the best left-back in the Premier League and potentially in the world.
"There is promising talent coming through like Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto, and newer players like Andrey Santos.
"Joao Pedro has three goals in three Club World Cup matches and was crucial to Chelsea’s tournament success, while fellow striker signing Liam Delap has looked lively in the United States.
"Another new signing—Jamie Gittens—has yet to join from Dortmund, with Palmeiras’ teenage sensation Estevao Willian also joining for pre-season in August."