Cole Palmer starred as Chelsea demolished Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 to claim the first expanded FIFA Club World Cup title at MetLife Stadium on Saturday.
Palmer, 23, netted twice in the opening half-hour before setting up Joao Pedro for a third in the 43rd minute, as Chelsea overwhelmed PSG in a dominant first-half display in front of 81,188 fans — the largest crowd of the tournament, including U.S. President Donald Trump.
“We knew we had to fight against a great team. Everyone doubted us, but we showed what we’re made of,” said Palmer, who was named Player of the Match.
Palmer’s opener came in the 22nd minute after PSG defender Nuno Mendes misjudged a header, triggering a sequence that ended with the winger calmly slotting past Donnarumma. Eight minutes later, he doubled Chelsea’s lead after receiving a long pass from Levi Colwill, cutting inside and curling in a nearly identical left-footed strike.
He completed his dream performance by threading a pinpoint assist to Joao Pedro, who chipped Donnarumma with finesse to make it 3-0 before halftime — Pedro’s third goal in just two starts for the Blues.
PSG’s frustration boiled over in the 84th minute when Joao Neves received a straight red card for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair. In stoppage time, tensions escalated further, with coach Luis Enrique and Donnarumma confronting Pedro, prompting intervention to separate players.
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Chelsea lifted their second Club World Cup title (the first in 2021), capping a turbulent season that saw them finish fourth in the Premier League and win the UEFA Conference League. The victory also earned the club between $128.4 million and $153.8 million in prize money, depending on undisclosed FIFA participation fees.
PSG, coming off a treble-winning season and seeking a fourth title with the Club World Cup, had outscored opponents 16-1 en route to the final but were handed their first three-goal defeat since October 2023.
Despite PSG’s star-studded lineup, Chelsea’s extra day of rest after their semifinal proved crucial, as Mauricio Pochettino’s young side showed intensity and tactical maturity.
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