Cole Palmer stars as Chelsea thrash PSG to clinch historic Club World Cup title

Cole Palmer delivered a masterclass performance as Chelsea stunned European champions Paris Saint-Germain with a 3-0 victory in the final of the expanded FIFA Club World Cup at the MetLife Stadium in New York on Sunday.

Palmer scored twice and provided an assist in a match attended by former US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania, watched by over 81,000 fans.

Despite arriving in the United States fresh from a 4-0 demolition of Real Madrid in the semi-finals, PSG were uncharacteristically outclassed by Chelsea, who dominated the game from start to finish. Palmer opened the scoring midway through the first half, doubled Chelsea’s lead minutes later, and then set up Joao Pedro for the third just before half-time.

The encounter marked PSG’s second final in six weeks, having famously routed Inter Milan 5-0 in the UEFA Champions League final. But this time, it was Chelsea that made a fast start, taking advantage of poor defending and a lacklustre performance from the French giants. PSG’s frustrations boiled over late in the game when Joao Neves was sent off after a VAR check for an off-the-ball incident involving Marc Cucurella.

The final, which had all the glitz of a Super Bowl event — including the first-ever half-time show at a FIFA tournament — capped a remarkable season for Chelsea, who not only became the first team to win the new 32-team Club World Cup but also lifted the UEFA Conference League and finished fourth in the Premier League. Their Club World Cup triumph also came with a $125 million prize.

While PSG will take home a similar financial reward, the defeat was a bitter blow after such a dominant season in Europe and domestically. The Ligue 1 champions now have a month’s break before facing Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Super Cup.

Palmer, whose face was plastered on promotional billboards across the US during the tournament, proved he was worth the hype with a clinical display, while Chelsea’s new signing Joao Pedro made his mark by netting his third goal in two games for the club.

For Chelsea fans, it was a night to remember — and for PSG, a harsh reality check.