Chelsea delivered a commanding performance to defeat UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 3-0 and lift the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.
A first-half masterclass from Cole Palmer set the tone for the Blues’ dominant victory, as the Englishman scored twice in quick succession before João Pedro added a third just before halftime.
Palmer opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, finishing off a slick move after Malo Gusto recovered a poor header from Nuno Mendes. Gusto’s initial effort was blocked, but he calmly squared the rebound to Palmer, who slotted a low left-footed strike into the bottom corner.
Eight minutes later, Palmer struck again. Levi Colwill delivered a long ball over the top, and Palmer collected it with poise, drifted centrally and produced an identical left-footed finish past PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
João Pedro made it 3-0 on the stroke of halftime, pouncing on a delicate pass from Palmer inside the box to wrap up a clinical half for the London side.
While Chelsea’s attack dazzled, goalkeeper Robert Sánchez stood tall at the back, making six crucial saves in his best performance of the tournament.
The match took a fiery turn late on, as PSG’s Joao Neves was sent off in the 85th minute after a VAR review showed him pulling Marc Cucurella by the hair. Tensions boiled over at full-time, with PSG boss Luis Enrique appearing to grab João Pedro by the neck during a post-match scuffle involving several players.
Cucurella had earlier prevented a near-certain PSG goal in the 16th minute, intercepting Desire Doue’s centering pass after a clever setup by Fabián Ruiz.
Chelsea’s road to the title saw them edge past Benfica, Palmeiras, and Fluminense in the knockout stages before overpowering PSG — who had conceded only one goal in six matches leading up to the final.
It marks Chelsea’s second Club World Cup triumph, adding to their 2021 success, and a statement of intent under manager Enzo Maresca in his first major tournament at the helm.
