By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Chelsea Football Club delivered a commanding performance to defeat Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 3-0 in the final of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium, securing their second Club World Cup title.
Cole Palmer emerged as the star, scoring twice and providing an assist, while Joao Pedro sealed the victory with a stunning chip, outclassing the European champions in a one-sided affair.
The Blues took the lead in the 22nd minute when “Cole Palmer (Chelsea) gets a shot away from the edge of the box and scores into the bottom left corner,” assisted by Malo Gusto.
Eight minutes later, Palmer struck again, as he “latches on to a precise through ball from Levi Colwill before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the bottom left corner from the edge of the area,” making it 2-0.
Just before halftime, Palmer turned provider, finding Joao Pedro, who “spotted goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma off his line and chipped the ball into the net” for a 3-0 lead.
PSG struggled to respond, with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez proving impenetrable. In the 18th minute, Sanchez made a “reflexive save to block” a fine strike from Desire Doue, and later denied Joao Neves with a “superb save” on a header aimed at the bottom left corner. Ousmane Dembele’s effort in the 52nd minute was also thwarted by Sanchez’s “brilliant save.”
The second half saw Chelsea maintain control, with Liam Delap nearly adding a fourth goal. Delap “tricks his way to edge of the area and unleashes a howitzer of a shot towards the top right corner,” only for Donnarumma to make a “fine reflex save.” Another Delap effort at the 80th minute was stopped by the PSG keeper, leading to a Chelsea corner.
PSG’s hopes dwindled further in the 86th minute when Joao Neves received a straight red card after a VAR review for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair, reducing PSG to ten men. “The ref makes the signal that the yellow is cancelled but immediately brandishes a straight red to Joao Neves (PSG),” leaving the Parisians “distraught” and unable to mount a comeback.
Chelsea’s victory marks their second Club World Cup triumph, following their 2021 win over Palmeiras, making them the first English club to claim the title twice. For PSG, the defeat ends their quest for a historic quadruple, despite their dominant run in the tournament, including a 4-0 semi-final win over Real Madrid.
The match, attended by U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, featured a lavish halftime show with performances by J Balvin, Doja Cat, Tems, and Emmanuel Kelly. Chelsea’s prize money is estimated at over $85 million, a significant portion of FIFA’s $1 billion prize pot.
Manager Enzo Maresca praised his team’s tactical discipline, stating that their ability to exploit PSG’s high line was key. Chelsea’s youthful squad, the second-youngest in the tournament, showcased their potential, with Palmer’s “brilliant brace” earning widespread acclaim. The victory caps a remarkable 2024/25 season for the Blues, who defied the Opta supercomputer’s 64.4% prediction favoring PSG.