Chelsea made history on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium, clinching the inaugural title of the newly expanded Club World Cup with a commanding 3-0 victory over a 10-man Paris Saint-Germain.
Cole Palmer was the star of the night, netting twice in the opening 30 minutes before Joao Pedro capped off a dominant first half with a stylish third.
PSG’s misery was compounded when Joao Neves received a red card late in the game, leaving the Champions League holders thoroughly outplayed.
The revamped tournament featured 32 clubs from across the globe, but it was Europe’s heavyweights who reached the final.
PSG had previously dismantled Inter Milan 5-0 to book their spot, while Chelsea came into the competition riding the high of their UEFA Conference League triumph in May.
Early on, Palmer nearly opened the scoring with a curling shot that rippled the side netting in the 8th minute — a warning of what was to come.
Despite a relatively quiet scoring run in recent months, he looked sharp and confident throughout.
PSG had a golden opportunity to take the lead when Champions League final MVP Desire Doue broke into the box.
But instead of shooting, he tried to square the ball to Achraf Hakimi. Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella read the play and snuffed out the danger.
Palmer made no such mistake in the 22nd minute, slotting a low shot inside the right post after cleverly working space for himself inside the area.
Just eight minutes later, he doubled Chelsea’s advantage with a near-identical finish — another left-footed curler that nestled in the far corner.
Before halftime, Joao Pedro added a touch of flair with a cheeky flick over Gianluigi Donnarumma, finishing off a sublime assist from Palmer, who split PSG’s defense once again.
Chelsea maintained control throughout the second half, and PSG’s hopes of a comeback faded completely when Joao Neves saw red near the final whistle.
With the win, Chelsea etched their name into the history books as the first champions of the modern Club World Cup, a statement performance against Europe’s top team.