Cole Palmer cool under pressure as brace lifts Chelsea to Club World Cup title

Chelsea FC stormed past Paris Saint-Germain to win the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup before a packed crowd at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Cole Palmer’s goals in the 22nd and 30th minute combined with João Pedro’s goal in the 43rd minute to win it for the Southwest London club.

Chelsea was one of the first teams to qualify for the 2025 Club World Cup by virtue of winning the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League, while PSG was the 2nd best UEFA team in a four-year window to earn their place in the tournament. Coincidentally, their 2025 UEFA Champions League title made PSG one of the first to qualify for the 2029 Club World Cup. Both teams entered on hot streaks with a chance to add to their trophy case.

Chelsea hit the field in their traditional blue primary uniforms, while PSG was in their secondary white jerseys with red and blue streaks on the front forming the Eiffel Tower. The pageantry was present and the capacity crowd of 81,118 created a buzz in the air that felt like a big finalThere was a ton of glitz and glamor in the pregame, with the official song of the Club World Cup performed live by Robbie Williams all the way to Michael Buffer introducing the teams with his trademarked “Let’s get ready to rumble!” With his words reverberating throughout the stadium amid cheers, the ball was kicked by Chelsea and the match started.

Chelsea controlled the early minutes of the ballgame, getting the ball into the box and creating a couple of opportunities to score. The Blues got the first great chance in the 8th minute, as some crisp passing by Chelsea led to a terrific chance for Cole Palmer. João Pedro was able to lay the ball off for him with plenty of space. However, Palmer’s shot whizzed just past the goal to hit the left stanchion.

PSG found it difficult in the early minutes to create any offense, as Chelsea did a lot to keep the Parisians on their heels. However, in the 16th minute, they had an incredible chance on the counter. Desire Doue got the ball deep in the penalty area, but instead of shooting, he opted to try a pass into the middle of the box. Chelsea intercepted it and was able to stop the play and send the ball back downfield. Two minutes later, Doue was once again able to find space at the top of the box to get a shot. Robert Sanchez made a diving save to keep it scoreless.

In the 22nd minute, Chelsea got on the board. After a long ball was misplayed by PSG, Malo Gusto got the ball and took it into the box, where his left-footed shot from the right side of the box was blocked. He recovered the ball and found Palmer at the top of the box, who snuck a left footed shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma for the match’s opening goal.

PSG didn’t feel like they had an answer for the haymakers that Chelsea fed them. The 2025 UEFA Champions League winners were woozy as Chelsea brought the game directly to them and made PSG look truly vulnerable. The hydration break came, and the question was whether PSG could make some quick adjustments. However, straight out of the hydration break, Chelsea struck again. The Blues were once again able to find a man open on the long ball. That man was Cole Palmer, who dribbled down the right flank and was able to shift it to his left foot. Similarly to his first goal, Palmer was able to dribble to the top of the box in the middle and calmly slot another shot past Donnarumma into the bottom left corner to make it 2-0 to Chelsea.

In the 43rd minute, Chelsea added a third. The blitz was on as João Pedro got behind the defense in the box, and Palmer slotted a ball through the PSG defense to him. João Pedro slipped the shot past Donnarumma to make it 3-0 to Chelsea just before the half.

PSG was able to get another shot off in first half stoppage time, but Sanchez was able to reel it in. The match went to halftime at 3-0 as Chelsea fans were jubilant throughout the stadium. On the other side, PSG - the team and their fans - looked shellshocked by what Chelsea ability to score 3 goals in one half after the Parisians had only conceded one goal the entire tournament. The halftime show featuring J. Balvin, Tems, Doja Cat, and Coldplay gave both teams a chance to rest and for PSG to find an answer to Chelsea’s attack.

The second half started and PSG had a couple of opportunities. The second opportunity led to Vitinha finding Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the 48th minute, who fired a shot that Sanchez was able to parry into the middle of the box. Fortunately for the Blues, Chelsea was able to clear the ball before PSG pounced on the rebound.

A few minutes later, Sanchez was once again able to stop PSG, as Ousmane Dembele was able to get the ball right in front of the goal. He fired a shot at point blank range and somehow Sanchez was able to keep the ball out of the net. PSG was able to control the possession and tempo in the opening minutes of the second half, and Chelsea was doing everything they could to fend them off.

Despite PSG throwing everything at Chelsea, the Blues were able to contain them and keep them off the scoreboard. Chelsea almost made it 4-0 in the 68th minute, when Liam Delap, fresh off being subbed on, got the ball on the break. He found some space and curled a right footed shot, but Gianluigi Donnarumma made an incredible outstretched save in the top right corner.

In the 80th minute, Liam Delap had another chance inside the box when Lucas Beraldo couldn’t get the ball cleared on the slide tackle. Delap was able to get around Beraldo and Donnarumma, but Donnarumma got a piece of Delap’s shot and the ball skidded just wide of the net.

In the 84th minute, João Neves pulled down Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella by the hair and initially was shown a yellow card. However, the VAR was triggered, and after review the call was converted to a red card, and PSG was reduced to 10 men. At that point, Chelsea fans could start to taste the victory, chanting their team’s name in the stands while PSG fans stood in stunned disbelief.

In stoppage time, Paris Saint-Germain wasn’t able to do much and the referee blew his whistle for full time. Chelsea ran onto the field in jubilation, but there were some extra curriculars after the whistle blew with PSG and Chelsea players getting into some arguments.

Things eventually calmed down, and the trophy ceremony began. Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia won the Golden Boot for scoring the most goals, and Desire Doue won the Silver Ball. Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez won the Golden Glove, while Cole Palmer was named the Golden Ball winner. Chelsea then lifted the trophy to celebrate their second FIFA Club World Cup title, but will see their name on the new Club World Cup trophy as the first champion under this expanded format.