Chelsea stunned Paris Saint-Germain with a 3-0 victory on Sunday, securing all three goals in a blistering first-half performance.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – From the opening whistle, Chelsea brought a level of intensity that PSG simply couldn’t match. By dominating wide areas and pressing high with intent, the Premier League side flipped the script on a team known for overwhelming opponents early. Ironically, this blueprint was one PSG themselves had followed to great effect in the UEFA Champions League final against Inter, and again in their semifinal win over Real Madrid. But at MetLife Stadium, Chelsea executed it even better—outplaying the French champions at their own game to clinch the Club World Cup title.
“Right from kickoff, we were on it,” said Levi Colwill after the match. “We pressed them hard because this was our last game of the season. I didn’t want to go on holiday thinking I held anything back. I told the team we had to give everything, and we did. That’s what the scoreline reflects.”
Chelsea’s approach mirrored the high-octane style PSG used to dominate Europe in recent months. But this time, it was the French side caught on their heels. The energy that powered PSG to their first Champions League crown seemed to drain quickly in the New Jersey heat. A Cole Palmer double inside 30 minutes, followed by a third goal from Joao Pedro before the break, effectively sealed the contest by halftime. As the second half wore on, PSG looked increasingly frustrated, culminating in an 89th-minute red card to Joao Neves and a heated exchange post-match involving Luis Enrique and Joao Pedro.
“Chelsea’s aggressive pressing was the key,” manager Enzo Maresca noted. “With the kind of talent PSG has, you can’t let them settle. If you sit back and allow them time, they’ll punish you. So we made the choice to take the game to them early.”
Despite having just 34% of possession, Chelsea created far more with the ball. They outshot PSG 10-8 and produced 2.06 expected goals compared to just 0.53 for their opponents. The Blues’ tactical setup worked to perfection, and by halftime, the game was largely decided.
“They had three midfielders,” Maresca explained. “Neves and Fabian Ruiz were assigned to Reece \[James] and Moises \[Caicedo], while Vitinha tracked Enzo \[Fernandez]. We recognized an opportunity to overload the right side, so we used Cole and Malo \[Gusto] in that space. It gave us the edge in key areas.”
Colwill’s emphasis on “setting the tone” aligned perfectly with Maresca’s pre-game plan.
“We wanted to go man-to-man,” Maresca said. “PSG is so strong technically that if you let them breathe, you’re done. So we started with heavy pressure. We managed it well for the first 10 minutes and even though we knew the weather wouldn’t allow us to keep that up all game, we maintained control. We stuck to our structure and exploited the spaces we had pinpointed in our analysis.”
Cole Palmer once again proved decisive on the big stage, reinforcing his reputation as Chelsea’s standout attacker. But it was Joao Pedro who offered the biggest surprise. Having joined Chelsea from Brighton just under two weeks ago, he now has three goals in as many games. His impact earned him the start over Liam Delap, who had led the line earlier in the competition.
Maresca praised Pedro’s adaptability, particularly his value against compact, organized teams. That flexibility has quickly made him a trusted piece in the manager’s system.
“Joao is a fantastic player,” Maresca said. “He’s smart in tight spaces and gives us something extra when facing teams that sit deep. That makes him very important in games like this.”
Chelsea’s journey under Maresca hasn’t always been linear. With BlueCo still navigating long-term squad construction following Todd Boehly’s takeover, there have been growing pains. But this Club World Cup triumph gave a glimpse into what the project could become—built around a young, hungry core with a clear tactical identity.
“This season showed we’re on the right track,” Maresca reflected. “Ending it with a trophy like this feels incredible. Now, I’m just looking forward to three weeks off. It’s been a nonstop grind for 15 months. After that, we’ll see where things go next season.”
