Chelsea FC produced a stunning 3-0 upset against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the final of the expanded FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium, claiming their second world title.
Cole Palmer’s first-half double and João Pedro’s clinical strike secured the trophy for the Blues, who outplayed the European champions in front of 81,118 fans, including U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Chelsea, underdogs after PSG’s dominant 4-0 semi-final win over Real Madrid, seized control early.
Palmer opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, curling a 20-yard free-kick past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The 23-year-old Englishman struck again in the 30th minute, before João Pedro sealed the rout in the 43rd minute, latching onto Palmer’s precise through-ball to slot home.
PSG, despite boasting stars like Kvicha Kvarashkelia and Ousmane Dembélé, struggled to respond. Chelsea’s high press, led by Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández, stifled PSG’s midfield, while goalkeeper Robert Sánchez denied the PSG attack.
Manager Enzo Maresca’s tactical masterplan earned praise, with Chelsea’s disciplined defense and ruthless attack proving decisive. The victory nets Chelsea an estimated $128-153 million in prize money, a significant boost for the Premier League side.
“This is for the fans and the club’s legacy,” Palmer said post-match, earning the tournament’s best player award. PSG’s Luis Enrique admitted, “We were outplayed. Chelsea deserved it.”
The win marks Chelsea’s first Club World Cup title since 2012, cementing their status as a global force.
Celebrations are expected to continue as the team returns to London, with fans already eyeing further silverware in the 2025-26 season.
