Chelsea were crowned Club World Cup champions in emphatic style on Sunday night, brushing aside Paris Saint-Germain 3–0 in a one-sided final at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
Cole Palmer, the 22-year-old English midfielder, delivered a performance to remember. He scored twice and assisted another, guiding Chelsea to a win that was as dominant as it was unexpected.
“It feels unbelievable,” Palmer told reporters after the match. “We believed in ourselves and stuck to the plan. Nights like these are why we play the game.”
From the outset, Chelsea looked sharper. In the 22nd minute, a costly error from PSG’s Nuno Mendes handed possession to Malo Gusto. After a blocked shot, Gusto found Palmer unmarked in the centre. Palmer made no mistake, calmly slotting home.
Just ten minutes later—after a short cooling break—Palmer doubled the lead in style. Latching onto a through ball from Levi Colwill, he weaved past a defender with a clever feint before finishing into the bottom corner.
PSG, who started the match as clear favourites, appeared shell-shocked.
Worse was to come. Just before half-time, Palmer turned provider. He sprinted down the right before sliding in a perfect pass to Joao Pedro, who stayed onside and clipped the ball over goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. It was Chelsea’s third in 45 ruthless minutes.
The French side finished the match with ten men after Joao Neves received a straight red card in the 83rd minute for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair-a bizarre end to an already painful evening for the Parisians.
“Tonight wasn’t good enough,” admitted PSG manager Luis Enrique. “Chelsea punished our mistakes. We’ll need to respond.”
But the drama didn’t end at full-time. Tempers boiled over after the final whistle, as players from both teams clashed. Cameras caught Enrique appearing to push Joao Pedro in the face during the melee, prompting criticism and possible disciplinary action.
When asked about the incident, Enrique defended himself: “I was trying to separate the players and calm things down. There was no aggression intended.”
FIFA has yet to comment on whether the Spanish coach will face any sanctions.
The win marks Chelsea’s second Club World Cup title and offers a bright spark in what has otherwise been an unpredictable season. For Palmer, it was a breakout performance on the biggest of stages.
And for PSG, it’s a night they’ll want to forget.
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