Club World Cup 2025: Blues win on Palmer power

Under the searing New Jersey sun, Chelsea stunned Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) 2025 on July 14 (IST), beating the UEFA Champions League winner 3-0 at MetLife Stadium to win the first edition of FIFA’s revamped competition.

The United States hosted its first major FIFA tournament since the 1994 World Cup. For the final, there was a real sense of occasion at MetLife Stadium, with the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline and President Donald Trump in attendance among a crowd of 81,118. There was even the first-ever half-time show at a FIFA tournament, adding a Super Bowl vibe.

PSG’s dominance undone

Going into the match, PSG was the overwhelming favourite to lift the title. The French side was eyeing a fourth major title of the season and had been ruthlessly majestic on its way to the final. It defeated Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in the round of 16, dispatched Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, and demolished Real Madrid in the semifinal.

But having been three goals ahead midway through the first half in the semifinal, this time the roles were reversed as PSG found itself 3-0 down by the break.

Chelsea employed a simple high-press strategy, sticking some classic long balls over the top of the European champion’s defence. It was a masterclass in counter-attack from Enzo Maresca’s side to take home a jackpot of almost USD 125 million.

When Maresca arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2024, he was welcomed by a divided Chelsea fanbase. Still, the Italian ended his first season having secured Champions League football, a UEFA Conference League trophy, and now the title of Club World Cup champion.

Chelsea’s journey to the club football summit was marked by strong performances, a favourable draw, and the mid-tournament acquisition of an 80 million USD striker (Joao Pedro). It overcame LAFC, ES Tunis, Benfica, Palmeiras, and Fluminense to reach the final, bouncing back despite a 3-1 group stage loss to Flamengo.

Maresca outwits Enrique

To defeat PSG’s previously irrepressible team represents a spectacular achievement for a Chelsea side that had been largely unfancied before the start of the tournament. Cole Palmer was the hero of the night for the Premier League club and went on to win the Player of the Tournament award. The 23-year-old bagged a brace and set up another for Joao Pedro as the Blues became the first English side to lift the trophy twice after winning the 2021 edition.

Cole Palmer (centre) scored a brace in the final.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

Having played on the left of Chelsea’s attack and as a drifting No. 10 this season, Palmer started on the right flank as Maresca looked to expose a chink in the armour of Luis Enrique’s side. The selfless running of striker Pedro and wing-back Malo Gusto was integral to Palmer’s punishing performance — either running in behind to create space or pushing to that flank to ensure there were bodies around him.

The Parisian side was uncharacteristically disjointed throughout the match, with its stars failing to make an impact. Maresca’s tactical prowess was evident as he expertly outmanoeuvred Enrique. Chelsea’s defence, anchored by a five-man backline, employed a low block to effectively stifle PSG’s normally free-flowing attack.

Adding to Chelsea’s heroics, goalkeeper Robert Sanchez delivered a world-class performance, making a series of crucial saves that repeatedly thwarted PSG’s attempts to get back into the game and dashed any hopes of a comeback for the French giant.

A glimpse into football’s future

Since a Clearlake Capital-led consortium acquired Chelsea from Roman Abramovich for USD 3.2 billion in May 2022, the club has invested nearly USD 1.89 billion on over 45 players across six transfer windows. 

This period has been tumultuous for the London club, but the CWC win suggests Chelsea may finally be heading towards a more consistent future. In the end, the final of a season-ending tournament boasting a USD 1 billion prize pool encapsulated the state of the game in 2025.

This was a clash between a club backed by a Qatari sovereign wealth fund, and another owned primarily by an American private equity firm — two of the three highest-spending clubs in global football over the past decade.