It is the second time in four years that Chelsea seizes the gold at the World Cup for clubs. In 2021, the London club also won the tournament, but that did not already have so many top clubs in this edition pumped up by FIFA. A big difference for the winner is that this edition is good for more than 110 million euros in prize money.
Palmer, the super talent who dared to step up at Manchester City in 2023 because trainer Pep Guardiola did not want to give him a place in the first team, gave the World Cup for clubs exactly the shine it needed. He displayed his pure class against the largest clubs in South America and Europe. The players of PSG did not get a grip on him and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had no chance for both goals from the Englishman.
‘King’ Cole Palmer, as he has been mentioned by fans on Stamford Bridge for ages, has been the third footballer of Chelsea since the turn of the century who has scored two goals in a final. Didier Drogba and Eden Hazard preceded him.
Parisian attack with all stars restricted
The 3-0 lead that Chelsea had at half time was well deserved. The organization had fine, ensured that the Paris attack with Doué, Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia could not be served most of the battle. That did not always work, but at crucial moments the Chelsea defenders were on top.
Paris Saint-Germain, national champion and winner of the Champions League, was looking for the fifth trophy of this extraordinary football year for the Parisians. Chelsea was the winner of the Conference League and for that reason far from favorite.
But whoever has the youth has the future. And the London club already set up the youngest team in the majority of all Premier League matches last season, in which those ‘Jonkies’ also qualified for the Champions League. It was a signal that PSG did not just have an English team opposite him.
Luis Enrique was in charge of the boss, but Maresca had an answer
In the Champions League, the team of the acclaimed coach Luis Enrique defeated the champion of England (Liverpool), but that does not control you all the English. The suggestion that the season for the French top club lasted too long can be waved away. For Chelsea it took a full European season and a final for as long. In addition, the Premier League is much heavier than the French Lique 1 and England has not one but two cup tournaments. Important too: Coach Enzo Maresca had his answer ready to Enrique’s tactics.
What really made the difference in the final battle was the energy that the young team of Chelsea put on the mat from the stadium filled to the ridge in New Jersey. The Londoners seemed to explode from the first whistle, led by their star player Cole Palmer.
PSG did not give up the fight after the break, but whatever Enrique tried, nothing seemed to work. Moreover, with Robert Sanchez there was an excellent keeper under the bar at the ‘Blues’. He performed a number of sensational saves. At the same time, Chelsea also continued to find the adventure. The second new striker Liam Delap, bought for nearly 30 million euros from Ipswich Town, almost immediately broke the ball in the intersection at his entrance in the second half. A hand from Donnarumma prevented the 4-0.
The shame was already great for the winner of the Champions League, but the red card for Joao Neves, who pulled the Spanish international Marc Cucurella show -hard and rock hard to his wild hair forest, made it even worse in the final phase of the final.