EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey, USA (AP) — Cole Palmer scored twice and assisted João Pedro on the third as Chelsea defied expectations by defeating a grounded Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 on Sunday to claim the title of the first Club World Cup expanded to 32 teams.
Palmer’s brace came with left-footed finishes from the edge of the area at 22 and 30 minutes. He also threaded the through-ball that allowed João Pedro to notch the third, lifting the ball over Gianluigi Donnarumma at 43.
Paris Saint-Germain finished it with ten men after João Neves received a straight red at 85 minutes for pulling Marc Cucurella’s thick hair.
With aggressive, well-structured football across all lines, the London club caught PSG asleep in the early stages.
After stunning Real Madrid 4-0, the Parisians lined up for the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey — with U.S. President Donald Trump among the 81,118 spectators — as clear favorites.
But Chelsea’s display stifled PSG’s plan of high pressing, leaving Luis Enrique’s side short of completing a fourfold of titles after winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and their first Champions League.
Chelsea had a modest campaign: fourth in the English Premier League and the champions of the Conference League, the third-tier competition in European club football.
The duel pitted two new-money sides of football that had only recently broken into the sport’s elite and seemed poised to serve as a stage for another PSG coronation on the eve of Bastille Day.
Instead, Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, and the rest paid a heavy price for a sluggish start.
PSG had never lost by three goals in a season before this, and Chelsea became only the third side to put three past PSG — the others being Aston Villa and Nice in 3-2 and 3-1 defeats, respectively.
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s manager, fielded a starting XI in which Reece James’s inclusion to partner with Ecuador’s Moisés Caicedo in midfield stood out. The Blues thus gave Argentine Enzo Fernández license to step further into the box alongside Palmer, while João Pedro remained the focal point up front.
Palmer’s performance was sensational on a day that proved disastrous for PSG’s defense, where Nuno Mendes underperformed on the left flank.
Palmer, the 23-year-old attacking midfielder who arrived from Manchester City two years ago, sealed the win with finishes that looked surgical — left-footed strikes into the corners.
For the first goal, he capitalized on a rebound after a prior shot had been blocked by Malo Gusto. His second arrived on a devastating counterattack, with Vitinha and Lucas Beraldo reacting late and Palmer taking full advantage.
It was another hot afternoon in New Jersey — 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) at kickoff — but the No. 10 Chelsea enjoyed his moment, celebrating with a wry nod and a cheeky pretense that he was cold.
Palmer also produced another contribution after the break, delivering a superb pass to João Pedro. The Brazil forward, who had joined during the tournament and came off a brace in the 2-0 semifinal win over Fluminense, controlled the ball and cleverly lofted it past Donnarumma.
With Chelsea’s defense orderly, they complicated PSG’s attempts to mount a comeback. Spain’s Robert Sánchez was also on hand when needed, pulling off a crucial save after halftime to deny a close-range effort from Dembélé.
As the minutes wore on, Luis Enrique’s plans frayed. The Spanish coach emptied his bench with attacking options Bradley Barcola, Gonçalo Ramos, Warren Zaire-Emery, and Senny Mayulu in a late push that ultimately proved futile.
In the end, PSG’s night ended in frustration and numerical disadvantage, while Chelsea lifted the trophy and walked off the field as new champions of a World Cup that had expanded to 32 teams.
