Chelsea's spectacular response to all doubts

With an impressive double from Cole Palmer and a debut goal from Joao Pedro, Chelsea completely defeated PSG in the Club World Cup final, thereby becoming world champions at club level for the first time.

Chelsea won the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

When Chelsea thrashed Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ in the early hours of July 14 (Hanoi time), they not only won their first world title but also brought a resounding victory to the controversial football project under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. But behind the prestigious trophy was a calculated journey - physically, tactically and financially - with many gains and losses.

Double title, double belief

The Club World Cup title came just a month after Chelsea won the Europa Conference League, thus ending a memorable summer with two international trophies. In the context of experts constantly questioning the model of "recruiting young talent, signing long-term contracts" of the new leadership, Enzo Maresca and his students have a more convincing answer: winning by strength.

The man who inspired the final against PSG was none other than Cole Palmer - the English star scored a spectacular double, becoming the first player from the foggy country to score two goals in a Club World Cup final. New signing Joao Pedro - a £60 million contract - contributed the remaining goal, thereby affirming his worth right from his first big match.

Chelsea will leave the tournament with a prize of more than £97 million - enough to make up for their heavy investment in the transfer window. However, the 2025 Club World Cup is not simply a financial “gold mine”. This is a summer tournament, wrapped up in just over three weeks but consuming six matches, with a dense travel schedule from Atlanta to Philadelphia, Miami and New York. The hot weather limits training, and many key players such as Caicedo, Lavia, Badiashile and Essugo have physical problems.

The shortened pre-season, with the Premier League due to kick off on 17 August, raises serious questions about the long-term impact of the competition. Chelsea have played 64 games in 53 weeks – a pace few clubs in Europe can afford.

However, the Club World Cup offers coach Enzo Maresca a significant advantage: time. While other clubs are on summer break, he has a rare opportunity to operate a new squad, test tactics and integrate new players.

Enzo Maresca has brought two trophies to Chelsea in just over a month.

Chelsea used 27 players - more than any other team in the competition - with everyone apart from the goalkeeper getting a start. New signings Liam Delap, Mamadou Sarr, Dario Essugo and Andrey Santos all got minutes, and the tour across America helped them settle in quickly.

“100% yes,” Delap said when asked about his time with the team. “Living together every day helped me bond with everyone.”

Tactically, Maresca boldly changed the formation against Flamengo, playing Palmer on the right in the “inverted winger” role familiar under Pochettino. Despite a 3-1 defeat that drew criticism, Chelsea remained steadfast, and then won 4-1 against Benfica in the knockout round - a stepping stone to the final.

Value is greater than money

Contrary to speculation, Maresca asserted that he had never felt pressure from the club’s leadership to win the championship for financial reasons. “The owners just wanted us to play well in every match. No one talked about bonuses or money,” he shared.

However, the win over PSG was also the perfect reward for the huge investments made by Estevao Willian (£29m) and Jamie Gittens (£48.5m). And Joao Pedro - with his debut performances - seems to have recouped some of his investment after just one game.

Cole Palmer shone with a brace in the 3-0 win over PSG in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final.

Chelsea may lose some fitness for next season, may miss out on more preparation time, but in return they have a world-class trophy, a more cohesive squad, a proven tactician and - most importantly - a winning mentality.

The 2025 Club World Cup may not be the ideal choice for every team, but for Chelsea it is a stepping stone to greater ambitions. And for those who have doubted their “youth and time” model – perhaps it is time to reconsider.

PSG suffered a crushing defeat to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final. Early morning on July 14, PSG lost to Chelsea 0-3 in the match to decide the Club World Cup title.

Source: https://znews.vn/loi-dap-tra-ngoan-muc-cua-chelsea-cho-moi-hoai-nghi-post1568377.html