FIFA Club World Cup: Cole Palmer shines as Chelsea crush PSG 3-0 to win title

Time of India

3 days ago

Chelsea's Reece James lifts the trophy as President Donald Trump looks on following the Club World Cup final (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Chelsea secured a decisive 3-0 victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the expanded Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday, with Cole Palmer scoring twice and assisting João Pedro for another goal in a dominant first-half performance.
Palmer netted two similar left-footed goals from inside the penalty area in the 22nd and 30th minutes, showcasing his impressive form this season with 18 goals total. He then provided a precise through pass to João Pedro, who chipped the ball over goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 43rd minute.
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The match drew a tournament-high crowd of 81,188, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who faced boos during the postgame awards ceremony before presenting the trophy alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino to Chelsea captain Reece James.
The victory marked Chelsea's second Club World Cup title, following their 2021 triumph when the tournament featured seven teams. The Blues earned between $128,435,000 and $153,815,000 in prize money, with the final amount depending on FIFA's undisclosed participation fee.
PSG's hopes for a quadruple were dashed, having previously won Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and their first Champions League title. The defeat marked their worst loss since a 4-1 Champions League setback against Newcastle in October 2023.
The game's turning point came in the 22nd minute when goalkeeper Robert Sánchez's long kick was mishandled by Nuno Mendes. Malo Gusto's subsequent shot was blocked by Lucas Beraldo before Palmer capitalized on the rebound.
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Tensions escalated late in the match when João Neves received a red card in the 84th minute for pulling Marc Cucurella's hair. The game concluded with a confrontation involving PSG coach Luis Enrique and Donnarumma pushing João Pedro near the center circle.
"It's a great feeling. Even better because obviously everyone doubted us before the game. The gaffer put a great gameplan out and obviously, he knew where the space was going to be," Palmer said after the match.
PSG coach Luis Enrique acknowledged Chelsea's superiority through a translator: "They had a lot of energy. I believe they were actually better than we were."
Chelsea, who finished fourth in the Premier League and won the UEFA Conference League, demonstrated superior energy throughout the match, benefiting from an extra day of rest following their semifinal compared to PSG.
PSG entered the match as heavy favorites, having outscored opponents 16-1 in previous matches, but struggled to maintain their defensive record, which had included 436 minutes without conceding before Palmer's opening goal.
Palmer, who joined Chelsea from Manchester City two years ago at age 23, continued his exceptional season with another stellar performance. His second goal came from a well-timed run onto Levi Colwill's long ball, followed by a skillful cut inside before finishing.
The match featured six yellow cards in addition to the red card, reflecting the intense nature of the competition between these European powerhouses.
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