Cole Palmer says he took “great satisfaction” in proving critics wrong after inspiring Chelsea to a 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday’s FIFA Club World Cup final, where he scored twice and provided an assist to cap a sensational performance.
On a scorching evening with temperatures above 85°F (29.4°C) at the MetLife Stadium, Palmer thrived under pressure yet again, earning the Golden Ball award for best player of the tournament.
This came just weeks after being named man of the match in Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League final win over Real Betis.
“Even better because everyone doubted us” – Cole Palmer
Speaking after the final whistle, the 22-year-old forward reflected on the emotion of the moment:
“I like finals. It’s happened again, It’s a great feeling.” Palmer said.
“Even better because everyone doubted us before the game, we knew that. To put a fight on like we did, it’s good.”
Cole Palmer scored two goals in the space of eight minutes in the first half before laying off a clever assist for João Pedro in the 43rd minute to complete a first-half blitz that PSG could not recover from.
Ice-Cold Finishing in Scorching Heat
Palmer’s first goal came in the 22nd minute, as he burst into the box from the right wing and calmly slotted home with his left foot into the bottom-left corner.
Just eight minutes later, he doubled Chelsea’s lead with another composed finish, again targeting the same corner and sparking wild celebrations among the thousands of Chelsea fans in the crowd.
In the 43rd minute, Palmer rounded off a flawless half by assisting new signing João Pedro with a delightful flick, giving Chelsea a three-goal cushion heading into the break.
Maresca Masterclass: “We suffocated them early”
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca lauded Palmer’s display and the team’s collective execution:
“Today we found a position for him where there was more space to attack,” Maresca explained. “Obviously Cole played really well, but the effort from all the players was fantastic.”
The Italian tactician highlighted the team’s aggressive, high-pressure approach to nullify PSG’s rhythm early on:
“The idea was go man-to-man because if you leave spaces to PSG they will kill you,” he said.
“We tried to be very aggressive and suffocate them early on.”“That intensity was crucial in the first 10 minutes due to the scorching heat . It was really difficult conditions to play as the game progressed.”
Maresca also pointed out Chelsea’s success in exploiting PSG’s vulnerable left flank:
“We had a lot of success exploring the left side of their defence. Things worked perfectly for us due to the effort the players put in.”
Sánchez, Gonzalo Win Individual Honours
Chelsea goalkeeper, Robert Sánchez was awarded the Golden Glove after keeping two clean sheets in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s Gonzalo García, whose team exited in the semifinal of the competition at the hands of PSG, claimed the Golden Boot with four goals during the competition.
Back-to-Back Glory, But Eyes on Premier League
Chelsea’s latest triumph, their first Club World Cup title in the expanded 32-team format, adds yet another feather to their cap under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake ownership.
Having now won every major club competition, the Premier League remains their next domestic priority.
