Chelsea Win Club World Cup as Maresca Hails Historic Triumph

• Jul 14, 2025

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca says winning the FIFA Club World Cup is just as important as the Champions League. His team beat Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 3-0 in the final of the newly expanded tournament held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA, on Sunday.

Speaking after the win, Maresca described the victory as a major moment for Chelsea and its supporters. “I have the feeling this competition is going to be as important, if not more important than, the Champions League,” he said. “It is a great triumph for us and it will allow the Chelsea fans to have that on our shirt for the next four years, so it is a source of pride.”

Maresca, who joined Chelsea a year ago, had previously been part of Manchester City’s coaching staff when they won the Champions League in 2023. He believes the Club World Cup’s global scale makes it equally significant. “This competition features the best teams in the world and I think we can value it on the same level,” he added.

Chelsea took control of the final early, scoring all three goals in the first half. England’s Cole Palmer netted twice in the 22nd and 30th minutes, and Joao Pedro added a third in the 43rd. Maresca said he had instructed the players to come out aggressively from the start. “The message was to let them understand we were here to win the game, and I think in the first 10 minutes we showed them that,” he said.

Palmer was named player of the match after scoring twice and assisting Pedro’s goal. The 23-year-old said it felt special to contribute in such a big game. “To score the goals was a great feeling, as was the way the team showed fire out there — the gaffer’s game plan was spot on,” Palmer said. His face had appeared on advertising billboards in New York ahead of the tournament alongside stars like Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior.

A high-profile audience watched the final, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, who handed Chelsea the winners’ medals and trophy. PSG's Joao Neves was sent off in the 84th minute for pulling Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella’s hair.

The win adds to Chelsea’s growing trophy cabinet under Maresca, who also led them to the UEFA Europa Conference League title in May.