Palmer scored twice and assisted on Joao Pedro’s backbreaking third goal to give Chelsea its three-goal advantage before halftime. Many thought underdog Chelsea would need to sit back and cautiously defend against the French champions. Chelsea Manger Enzo Maresca never bought into that idea in pre match comments, however, and unleashed his attackers from the onset. Rather than sit back, Chelsea pressed their opponent high on the pitch from the opening whistle, quickly fatiguing the French side in the searing heat at Met Life Stadium. PSG turnovers would lead to counterattacks where Chelsea sought to overload a vulnerable left side of PSG’s defense. Newly acquired Chelsea forward Joao Pedro drifted from the center of the field to combine with Palmer on the right flank and give PSG fits.
Palmer has looked comfortable in this tournament on the right wing where he first found success in the 2023/24 season whereas this past season saw him struggle at times in a more central Number 10 role. He was at the top of his game on Sunday putting Chelsea ahead by two goals before 30 minutes had expired with two almost identical strikes past PSG goaltender Gianluigi Donnarumma. The English phenom would then assist new teammate Joao Pedro just before halftime to essentially put the match to bed.
A tired PSG had no answers and became increasingly truculent in the heat and frustration of a scoreless second half. Joao Neves was tossed in the 83rd minute for pulling the hair of Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella. Joao Pedro was another target for PSG’s petulance, perhaps tracing to his exuberant celebration after his first half goal that spelled doom for the Parisians. Following the match, the Brazilian was at the center of a scuffle where the defeated PSG players and their manager decided to humiliate themselves even further. PSG defender Achraf Hakimi and towering goalkeeper Donnarumma seemed to initiate the verbal sparring with Chelsea’s new addition post-match. Manager Enrique then made a fool of himself by physically assaulting the opposing player, an action that could earn him a FIFA imposed suspension.
No one would have predicted Chelsea to have inflicted such pain on a Champions League winner which had conceded only one goal across its first six matches of this Club World Cup. It was a tough pill for PSG to swallow on Sunday but euphoria for Chelsea and its supporters. One new supporter, however, was not entirely welcome. US President Donald Trump awarded the medals and trophy to the winners and then seemed unwilling to leave the center of the trophy lift celebration. FIFA President Gianni Infantino finally escorted Trump away as Chelsea captain Reese James and Cole Palmer looked on confusedly before finally letting loose with their well-earned exultations.
This championship will only stoke the growing expectations of Chelsea supporters who will see their club as a Premier League title contender next season. Chelsea won five of their last six Premier League matches this past season to earn fourth place in the table and a Champions League berth. A European Conference League title followed just days after the Premier League ended. That momentum continued into this tournament with the Blues now having won 14 of their past 16 matches. Recent transfers Joao Pedro and Liam Delap already look to be smart acquisitions. Jamie Gittens, another new signing from Borussia Dortmund, awaits his new teammates back in England. Estevao Willian, an 18-year-old referred to as “Little Messi,” scored against Chelsea in a Palmeiras jersey this tournament but will be donning Chelsea blue for this upcoming Premier League season. Andrey Santos, a substitute in Sunday’s title match, has returned from a successful loan at Strasbourg and is expected to be in the squad next season.
The influx of talent will, of course, require some outgoings. Perhaps the most significant departure is the in-process transfer of winger Noni Madueke to Arsenal. Madueke is expected to undergo his medical this week. Chelsea also has an “island of lost toys” who are not in Manager Maresca’s plan. That group would include Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling and Joao Felix. Benfica is purportedly interested in Félix.
One individual performance on Sunday could give pause to a widely expected piece of Chelsea’s transfer strategy. Much maligned goalkeeper Robert Sanchez impressed Sunday with his six saves. The former Brighton keeper has been under fire from the moment he joined Chelsea, and he has fanned those flames with some poor decision making and critical mistakes. Sanchez was benched at one point his past season for Filip Jorgensen. Just this past week, Chelsea was rumored to be considering a move for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Sanchez, however, once again proved himself a solid shot stopper on Sunday and made none of the mistakes that have angered Chelsea supporters in the past.
There will be mixed opinions as to whether World Champion Chelsea can win the Premier League with their present goalkeeping.
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