What started as a night of high expectations for Paris Saint-Germain turned into a stunning show of dominance by Chelsea, who pulled off a jaw-dropping 3-0 win in the Club World Cup final.
In front of a packed crowd in New Jersey—and with Donald Trump and the First Lady watching from the stands—the underdogs from London made history on U.S. soil.
Palmer Puts on a Show in MetLife Stadium Masterclass
All eyes were on Cole Palmer, and he delivered in style.
The Chelsea forward was everywhere—netting two clinical goals and providing an assist in a first-half blitz that left PSG stunned. The first came in the 22nd minute after a blocked shot rebounded to Malo Gusto, who laid it off for Palmer to finish calmly into the bottom-left corner.
Ten minutes later, Palmer did it again—this time racing down the right side, exploiting a wide-open PSG defense, and slotting a low strike into the same corner.
He wasn’t done. Just before halftime, he set up new signing Joao Pedro for the third goal after some truly passive defending from the French champions.
PSG Fall Flat Despite Their Favourites Tag
PSG came into the final as heavy favourites. They had just thrashed Real Madrid 4-0 in the semis and were riding high after a season that included a Champions League title, Ligue 1 win, and French Cup success.
But Chelsea flipped the script, going 3-0 up by halftime—the same score PSG had enjoyed early in their semi-final win.
The French side never looked like mounting a comeback.
Their best first-half chance came from Joao Neves, who headed wide just before the break.
Things went from bad to worse when Neves was shown a red card in the dying minutes after a VAR review for grabbing Marc Cucurella by the hair off the ball.
Heated Emotions and Touchline Tensions
As the final whistle blew, emotions boiled over. Players clashed, and PSG coach Luis Enrique was seen raising his arm toward Chelsea’s Joao Pedro in a brief altercation.
“There was a lot of pushing and shoving,” Enrique admitted after the match.
“My intention was just to break it up—not escalate anything.”
Despite the friction, the win was all Chelsea’s. And it meant a lot.
Maresca Praises Palmer and a Historic Season
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca couldn’t stop smiling after the final.
The team had already won the UEFA Conference League, finished fourth in the Premier League, and now capped their campaign by becoming the first champions of the new 32-team Club World Cup format.
“Beating a team like PSG makes this even more special,” Maresca said.
“And these are the games where you expect someone like Cole Palmer to step up—and he did. Again.”
With their triumph, Chelsea pocketed roughly $125 million in prize money.
The payoff? A much shorter summer break—but probably no complaints from the players.
Trump Watches on as Chelsea Claim the Crown
The MetLife Stadium was buzzing—not just because of the action on the pitch but because of the high-profile crowd.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania were in attendance as part of an 81,000-strong crowd, adding to the spectacle.
With the Manhattan skyline as the backdrop, Chelsea’s win had the feel of a blockbuster event.
The team that once struggled for consistency this season is suddenly looking like a serious contender for bigger prizes next year.
PSG Head Home Empty-Handed but Not Broken
Despite the heavy defeat, PSG’s season isn’t exactly in tatters.
Winning the Champions League remains the crown jewel, and that alone will keep the mood optimistic heading into next season.
But missing out on the Club World Cup will sting, especially after how dominant they had looked just days before.
Now they’ll regroup, recharge, and get ready for another challenge—this time against Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Super Cup.