A masterclass from Cole Palmer downs PSG in New Jersey as the tournament lights up the United States
š° Match Snapshot
Chelsea 3ā0 Paris Saint-Germain
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Sunday, 13 July 2025
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Sunday, 13 July 2025
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21′ Palmer opens scoring after a Gusto assist
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34′ Palmer doubles the lead with a curling finish
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40′ JoĆ£o Pedro taps in Palmerās low cross
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86′ JoĆ£o Neves sent off for pulling Cucurellaās hair
š Palmer: From Times Square to World-Stage Superstar
Cole Palmer arrived in New Jersey on a scooter and left it hoisting the FIFA Club World Cup trophy. The 23-year-oldās two goals and one assist turned a heavyweight final into a personal highlight reel.
āHe didnāt need to steal the show to prove heās specialābut he did anyway.ā
ā Mark Ogden, ESPN Senior Writer
Goal #1 ā A razor-sharp left-foot finish from Malo Gustoās cut-back.
Goal #2 ā A trademark cut-inside, dummy, and low curler beyond Donnarumma.
Assist ā A driven low ball across the six-yard box for JoĆ£o Pedroās tap-in.
Goal #2 ā A trademark cut-inside, dummy, and low curler beyond Donnarumma.
Assist ā A driven low ball across the six-yard box for JoĆ£o Pedroās tap-in.
Palmerās āColdā celebrationāarms folded, ice in his veinsāwas repeated twice in front of a record 82,500 crowd. Two summers ago Manchester City accepted Ā£40 million for a player they couldnāt guarantee minutes; today that fee looks like grand larceny.
š§© Tactical Breakdown: How Maresca Out-foxed Luis Enrique
| Chelsea Tweaks | PSG Problems |
|---|---|
| Reece James deployed as hybrid right-back/central midfielder | Lucas Beraldo exposed without Pacho & HernƔndez |
| MoisƩs Caicedo + James shield against Kvaratskhelia & Mendes | Sloppy passing in build-up, 73 % first-half accuracy |
| Malo Gusto given licence to overlap; created first two goals | No response once down 0-2; shape crumbled |
| JoĆ£o Pedro as false-9; dragged Marquinhos out of position | DouĆ© missed early sitter; heads dropped |
š“ PSGās Dream Tournament Ends in Nightmare 45 Minutes
Paris Saint-Germain had swept aside Bayern Munich and obliterated Real Madrid 4-0 en route to the final. Yet within 22 minutes Chelsea made the French champions look ordinary.
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Defensive lapse: Beraldo slow to react; Palmer pounces.
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Midfield bypassed: Vitinha & Zaire-Emery pressed into turnovers.
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Chance conversion: DouĆ©ās 1-v-1 saved by SĆ”nchez; PSG never recovered.
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Discipline: JoĆ£o Nevesā red card for hair-pulling summed up the frustration.
āA well-oiled machine built by Luis Enrique continuously broke down.ā
ā Lizzy Becherano
š° The Money Breakdown: How Much Will Chelsea & PSG Bank?
| Revenue Stream | Chelsea | PSG |
|---|---|---|
| Sporting Performance | $85.625 m | $75.625 m |
| Participation Pillar (est.) | $25ā30 m | $25ā30 m |
| Total (est.) | ā $110ā115 m | ā $100ā105 m |
FIFA splits a $1 billion pot across 32 clubs. Exact UEFA āappearanceā payouts remain opaque, but European giants are expected to land between $12.8 m and $38.2 m.
š MetLife Magic: 82,500 Fans Turn New Jersey into Global Carnival
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Attendance: 82,500 (capacity)
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Halftime Show: Doja Cat, J Balvin & Coldplay performed on a stage built into the stands.
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Fan Mix: Chelsea blue dominated one end; Boca, River, Brazil, and even Inter Miami shirts dotted the rest.
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Anthem: Galaās āFreed From Desireā echoed at full-time as every jersey danced together.
āThe Club World Cup has shown genuine excitement among U.S. soccer fans ahead of the 2026 World Cup.ā
ā Becherano
ā Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Is this the same Club World Cup as before?
No. 2025 marks the debut of the expanded 32-team format, mirroring a World Cup-style group stage and knockout rounds held entirely in the USA.
No. 2025 marks the debut of the expanded 32-team format, mirroring a World Cup-style group stage and knockout rounds held entirely in the USA.
Q2: How did Chelsea qualify?
By winning the 2023ā24 UEFA Europa League (top-two coefficient clubs not already in the Champions League received spots).
By winning the 2023ā24 UEFA Europa League (top-two coefficient clubs not already in the Champions League received spots).
Q3: Why was JoĆ£o Neves sent off?
VAR adjudged him to have deliberately pulled Marc Cucurellaās hairāviolent conduct, straight red.
VAR adjudged him to have deliberately pulled Marc Cucurellaās hairāviolent conduct, straight red.
Q4: Will the tournament stay in the U.S.?
FIFA has not confirmed future hosts, but the 2025 success and 2026 World Cup infrastructure make the U.S. a front-runner.
FIFA has not confirmed future hosts, but the 2025 success and 2026 World Cup infrastructure make the U.S. a front-runner.
Q5: Whatās next for these teams?
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Chelsea: Community Shield vs Man City (10 Aug) then Premier League opener.
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PSG: TrophƩe des Champions vs Lille (3 Aug) before Ligue 1 kickoff.
š Key Quotes
Cole Palmer: āTwo years ago I wasnāt sure Iād even start for City. Now Iām a world champion. Dreams come fastāwork faster.ā
Enzo Maresca: āWe asked Reece to be a defender, midfielder and leader in one game. He delivered. Thatās Chelsea DNA.ā
Luis Enrique: āWe created enough to be ahead, but football punishes you when you miss. Congratulations to Chelsea; they were ruthless.ā
š Match Stats (Opta)
| Metric | Chelsea | PSG |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 45 % | 55 % |
| Shots | 14 (8 on target) | 11 (4 on target) |
| xG | 1.9 | 1.4 |
| Pass Accuracy | 82 % | 78 % |
| Fouls | 12 | 15 |
š Road to the Final
Chelsea
Grp C: 2-0 vs Al-Hilal | 3-1 vs Fluminense
R16: 1-0 vs Monterrey
QF: 2-1 vs Palmeiras
SF: 3-2 vs Manchester City
Grp C: 2-0 vs Al-Hilal | 3-1 vs Fluminense
R16: 1-0 vs Monterrey
QF: 2-1 vs Palmeiras
SF: 3-2 vs Manchester City
PSG
Grp F: 2-0 vs Flamengo | 4-1 vs Urawa
R16: 3-0 vs Aston Villa
QF: 2-0 vs Bayern Munich
SF: 4-0 vs Real Madrid
Grp F: 2-0 vs Flamengo | 4-1 vs Urawa
R16: 3-0 vs Aston Villa
QF: 2-0 vs Bayern Munich
SF: 4-0 vs Real Madrid
From scooter rides in Times Square to lifting silverware under the New Jersey lights, Cole Palmer and Chelsea have delivered the first chapter of a brand-new FIFA Club World Cupāand itās a blockbuster.