Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer took aim at the Blues’ critics after his team’s emphatic 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final.
The 23-year-old playmaker powered Chelsea to an unexpected triumph with two first-half goals and an assist in Sunday’s one-sided affair at MetLife Stadium.
Palmer, who was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s top player, said after the match that Chelsea’s underdog status made the eventual victory that much sweeter.
“It’s a great feeling. Even better, because everyone doubted us before the game, we knew that. To put a fight on like we did, against a great team, it’s good,” Palmer told DAZN. “The gaffer put a great game plan out. He knew where the space was going to be. He tried to free me up as much as possible, and I just had to repay him and score some goals.”
As the Champions League holders and treble winners looking to secure another trophy to finish off the 2024-25 campaign, PSG were the overwhelming favorites heading into Sunday’s contest.
But they had no answer for Palmer, who picked out the bottom corner with precise goals in the 22nd and 30th minutes before setting up a Joao Pedro tally with a perfectly weighted pass into the penalty area.
Palmer credited coach Enzo Maresca for setting up his team for success.
“He’s building something special, something important,” Palmer said. “A young team, everyone’s talked a lot of shit about us all season, but I feel like we’re going in the right direction.”
Sunday’s victory gave Chelsea their second trophy of the campaign. The Blues, who finished fourth in the Premier League, took home the third-tier UEFA Conference League title in May.