The MetLife Stadium in New Jersey witnessed Chelsea ascend to global supremacy as Cole Palmer orchestrated a stunning 3-0 demolition of Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday evening.
Palmer, the 22-year-old from Wythenshawe, delivered two near-identical goals and provided a delicate assist as Chelsea completed their mission within the opening 45 minutes. João Pedro added the third before the break with a deft finish as Chelsea seized control of the billion-dollar tournament.
The match ended in chaos for PSG, with Joao Neves sent off for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair and head coach Luis Enrique caught on camera appearing to grab João Pedro by the throat.
Palmer’s opener arrived in the 22nd minute, curling the ball into the bottom corner after Malo Gusto’s persistent run and cut-back. Eight minutes later, he repeated the feat, selling a dummy to clear space before slotting the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Just before the interval, Palmer surged forward and slipped a measured pass to João Pedro, who calmly lifted the ball over the PSG keeper to make it 3-0.
Also read: PSG blank Real Madrid 4-0 to reach Club World Cup final
Donald Trump, who presented the trophy alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, was audibly booed by the crowd. The former US President lingered on the podium before being overtaken by jubilant Chelsea players. Reece James raised the trophy as fireworks lit up the New Jersey night and "Blue is the Colour" rang out.
PSG controlled possession for much of the game, up to 70% at times, but were undone by Chelsea’s tactical discipline and clinical finishing. Robert Sánchez stood tall at the other end, making a series of excellent saves to deny Ousmane Dembélé, Fabián Ruiz and Kvaratskhelia.
Despite a strong start from PSG, who nearly scored within two minutes, Chelsea’s direct play from deep, particularly from Sánchez, continually caught the Parisians off guard.
By half-time, Chelsea had completed only 126 passes, but made each count. The second half saw the London side sit deeper and manage the game with maturity, soaking up pressure and denying PSG a foothold.
Liam Delap came close to adding a fourth late on, while Chelsea distributed T-shirts reading “World Champions 2025” on the touchline, confirming their coronation before the final whistle.
Chelsea’s triumph over Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup has not only handed them global bragging rights but also a massive financial windfall.
The tournament featured an eye-watering $1 billion prize pool, the most lucrative in football history. Of this, $525 million was distributed as participation fees, while $475 million was reserved for performance-based bonuses.
Both Chelsea and PSG, ranked highly in sporting and commercial metrics, received between $33 and $38.19 million just for participating. Each side added to this base figure with their performances.
Chelsea’s earnings
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Participation Fee: $33–38.19 million
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Group Stage (2 wins): $4 million
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Round of 16: $7.5 million
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Quarter-finals: $13.125 million
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Semi-finals: $21 million
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Finalist Bonus: $30 million
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Winner Bonus: $40 million
→ Total: Over $145 million
PSG’s earnings
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Participation Fee: $33–38.19 million
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Group Stage (2 wins): $4 million
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Round of 16: $7.5 million
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Quarter-finals: $13.125 million
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Semi-finals: $21 million
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Finalist Bonus: $30 million
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Runner-up Bonus: $30 million
→ Total: Over $138 million
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