That’s all from me. Thanks for reading, and for your emails.
Congratulations to Chelsea, who were absolutely brilliant today. Commiserations to PSG, a step too far after a sensational season.
Cheers, and onwards to 2025-26.
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Trump also speaks to Dazn. There is a lot of bluster about winning and success, which I won’t report on, but I’m happy to tell you that the US president has called football “a growing sport”.
Trump also appears to refer to “good friend” Fifa president as Jonny, but that might just have been his pronunciation of Gianni.
Marquinhos, the PSG captain, speaks:
Chelsea played better than us today. Physically, Chelsea are in better shape than us, and that’s where we fell short today.
We did so well throughout this tournament, this season. I am so happy with this team.
An extremely cringy trophy ceremony, which Fifa and Trump will claim as a victory, was only outdone by the Robbie Williams pre-match song. I implore you to seek out the Brit’s performance without clenching your jaw.
“Just a small correction re your live report,” emails Lewis Denby. The MetLife holds 93,000 not for football, but for concerts. Its listed capacity for football is 82,500 - so seat kills taken into account, it was probably near enough a sell-out.”
Ah, fair play. Thanks for pointing that out, Lewis.
I was too busy typing but Dan Davies emails: “Did I just see Ty George dodge Trump’s handshake? If so he’s a hero.”
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Jacob Steinberg, one of our reporters at the MetLife, confirms the presence of boos in the stands, and the fact they turned the music up when they first happened. “The boos are very much for Trump”, emails Jacob.
Chelsea go up to receive their medals, and they look understandable delighted. Infantino, dressed in sneakers and a dark suit greets each player with an overfamiliar enthusiasm, which I can’t say is reciprocated. Captain Reece James is the last to go up and takes his position at the front of the squad as Infantino and Trump bring over the giant spherical trophy …
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PSG receive a guard of honour from Chelsea on their way to collect the runners-up medals, which is #classytouch from the London side.
Luis Enrique looks like he has cheered up since his swipe at João Pedro. He awkwardly receives his medal from Trump.
A few individual tournament prizes to hand out, before Chelsea collect the main prize.
Real Madrid’s Gonzalo García wins the Golden Boot for his exploits, what a breakthrough for the youngster.
Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez wins the Golden Glove for conceding the fewest goals in the tournament.
Best young player goes to PSG’s Desire Doué.
Cole Palmer wins the Golden Ball for the best player at the Club World Cup. He briefly shares a moment with Trump, just imagine the dialogue between those two.
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It turns out Donald Trump is going to be part of the trophy ceremony. Flanked by Fifa president Gianni Infantino and Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly, Trump takes to the field waving and smiling, his red tie flapping in the breeze. With a few noticeable boos coming from the stands, the music is turned up to the max. This has the potential to turn ugly.
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Sid Lowe's report from the MetLife Stadium
The attendance today was 81,118, the biggest crowd of the tournament but still not a capacity crowd. The MetLife Stadium holds 93,000.
Interestingly, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is on the pitch talking to Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly. You don’t often see opposing owners/president chopping it up.
A moment for Robert Sánchez, by the way. What a performance from the Chelsea goalkeeper.
I think you have to give Marezca a huge amount of credit. Yes, PSG were poor today, but tactically they were completely outplayed by Chelsea. The Blues obviously targeted the space behind Nuno Mendes at that worked a treat. Cole Palmer found pockets of space all over the pitch – that is not an accident. It was a risk to bring Reece James into midfield but the Chelsea captain was excellent. When Chelsea sat back and aimed to protect their 3-0 lead, they were able to keep a clean sheet. Everything Maresca tried came off. Fair play.
So Chelsea will take a full three weeks off, before just two friendlies (Bayer Leverkusen on 8 August and Milan on 10 August) prior to the beginning of the Premier League season on 17 August (home to Crystal Palace).
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea manager and wearing a shirt with WORLD CHAMPIONS written on it, speaks:
The players deserve it. We set the tempo. Unfortunately with the weather we were not able to continue.
I’m very excited that we have won here, but more excited that we now get three weeks off!
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Cole Palmer, the player of the match, speaks:
It’s a great feeling, even better because everyone doubted us before the game. PSG are a great team. I like finals.
The gaffer put a great game-plan out. He knew where the space is going to be. [Maresca] is building something special, something important.
Do Chelsea get a break of any sort before the new season? All Premier League clubs are already in pre-season training for 2025-26.
“I’ve been a Chelsea fan since 1970, and I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a game more, not even Munich 2012,” emails Gary Stover. “I take back all the things I’ve said about Robert Sanchez, Enzo Maresca, and Malo Gusto. Who knew? Nobody.”
Well, then. PSG are not used to losing and they have completely lost their head here – with João Neves sent off for pulling Cucurella’s hair during the match and manager Luis Enrique raising his hands towards João Pedro after the final whistle.
Handbags at the full-time whistle!
Players from both sides clash! The PSG squad are furious and Luis Enrique looks enraged as he appears to raise his hands to João Pedro’s face! The Brazilian hits the deck and the PSG manager is quietly escorted away. Remarkable scenes! Donnarumma is also at the heart of it and the Italian has to be led away by compatriot Enzo Maresca, who is trying in vain to calm the situation.
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Full-time: Chelsea 3-0 PSG
Chelsea have easily beaten the Champions League winners! Chelsea are the Club World Cup champions!
90+4 min: Sanchez comes out of his goal to clear a loose ball and so nearly gifts possession to Goncalo Ramos! The Chelsea keeper has had an exceptional game – he might even be player of the match if Palmer hadn’t scored twice and registered an assist – but that was nearly a familiar error.
90+2 min: The Chelsea fans are singing ‘olé’ as they cheer every pass. PSG are cooked.
90 min: Five minutes added on. Remember that is also accommodate the cooling break we had for the players at 70 minutes.
89 min: Despite being depleted, PSG continue to pour forward and Goncalo Ramos has a wonderful chance to get one back for the French side but fluffs his lines at the back post. It was a glorious cross from Barcola, but Goncalo Ramos skewed his finish and Cucurella was about to clear the loose ball!
87 min: PSG manager Luis Enrique looks resigned on the sidelines. This is a disappointing end to what has been a sensational season.
RED CARD FOR PSG'S NEVES!
The referee really has no choice. It’s violent conduct and Neves has no complaints as he jogs off the pitch. He completely lost his head, and with 10 men, surely PSG have now lost this final!
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POTENTIAL RED CARD!
An off-the-ball incident, as Neves clashes with Cucurella. There was some bad blood between the pair after that earlier foul and replays show that Neves deliberately pulled the hair of the Spaniard! The referee is going across to check the monitor, but this is surely going to be a sending off!
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83 min: Yellow card for Colwill, who is given the slip by Zaire-Emery in midfield. There is a brief scuffle as Caicedo tries to intervene in the aftermath, but the referee breaks it up.
81 min: Sanchez, who is having the game of his life, collects a cross and with another expert Ederson-esque punt upfield, releases Delap. The English striker outmuscles Marquinhos, putting the Brazilian on the turf and is one on one with Donnarumma. Delap tries to round the keeper, but Donnarumma gets a toe on a low shot, and PSG escape conceding a fourth!
79 min: Dembele is dropping VERY deep, as he tries to have some effect on the game. The Frenchman has been almost anonymous so far.
77 min: The game has become a scrappy one, which is exactly how Chelsea will want it. The Blues make a double change, with Christopher Nkunku and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall on for Reece James and Pedro Neto.
75 min: Pinball around the Chelsea box as PSG get to the byline down the right and try repeatedly to punt a cross into the box. Andrey Santos blocks with the his midriff amid weak claims for a PSG penalty before Cucurella buys a cheap free-kick under pressure from Neves. That was probably a dive, and nobody in PSG colours seems particularly happy about it.
72 min: After that brief break, PSG have made a triple change! Hakimi, Doue, Fabian Ruiz are off. Zaire Emery, Mayulu, and Goncalo Ramos are on!
Dembele has moved to the right, so that means the PSG front three from left to right is now: Barcola, Goncalo Ramos, Dembele. Time is running out.
70 min: Another cooling break, as the players take on fluids and instructions in the 28°C heat.
69 min: Delap so nearly scores with his first involvement of the game! The Englishman picks up the ball deep in PSG territory, drives at the French defence and pings a beauty of a shot towards the top corner … saved by Donnarumma! Most keepers wouldn’t get near that effort but the Italian dives to his left and saves with his ‘wrong’ right hand, somehow tipping it wide. Ooooof.
67 min: Chelsea make another sub: Delap for João Pedro, who was absolutely brilliant in that first half but is perhaps a little fatigued.
65 min: Neto, on a yellow card remember, is fortunate not to get another booking for a cynical tug on Doue as the Frenchman canters down the right wing for PSG.
63 min: “Is it just me, or does Luis Enrique bear more than a passing resemblance to Rufus Sewell?” chimes Mike Wilner.
I can see it!
61 min: Chelsea make a change: Fernandez is off for Andrey Santos, who so impressed for Strasbourg last season. Lavia is obviously not fit, as I’m sure he would be the preferred change for Maresca. But Andrey Santos is not a bad option at all!
59 min: Another absolute worldie save from Sánchez, who is playing like a prime Lev Yashin at the moment! Vitinha strikes from range, the ball swerving and dipping wildly, but Sanchez leaps to his left and gets a fingertip around the post!
From the resulting corner, PSG play it short and whip a cross to the back post, where two attackers are lining up. Marquinhos is close to tapping in, but João Pedro gets a crucial touch to deny his Brazilian compatriot! A great defensive intervention and Sánchez embraces João Pedro, to thank him.
58 min: PSG make their first change: Barcola for the disappointing Kvaratskhelia.
57 min: PSG are dominating possession but there are definitely gaps appearing at the back as Nuno Mendes and Hakimi fly up the pitch. Palmer releases Fernandez but the Argentinian is unable to get the ball down and feed Neto, who was completely free to his left.
54 min: Chelsea are frustrated as both Fernández and João Pedro hit the deck under a PSG challenge but on both occasions the referee plays on. João Pedro actually went down in the PSG area, claiming a penalty, and while there was a slight shirt pull, it was never a spot kick. João Pedro went down far too easily.
52 min: Huuuuuge save from Sánchez again to deny PSG! Doué crosses, the ball is deflected into the path of Dembele, just six yards out but the Frenchman scuffs a finish and Sanchez sticks out a glove and palms it wide! That was both a dreadful finish and a wonderful save! And very unlike Dembele, who is both amazingly two-footed and in the form of his life. Normally he would gobble up a chance like that. It stays 3-0 to Chelsea.
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50 min: PSG have found a rhythm, patiently probing the Chelsea defence, which has dropped very deep in the opening minutes of this half. The Blues already have 10 men behind the ball.
48 min: Kvaratskhelia comes off that left wing and curls an awkward bouncing shot towards the far post. Chelsea keeper Sánchez gets something on the ball, but rather fumbles it forwards, but Colwill is there to tidy up. Doue was lurking but unable to get to the ball first.
47 min: To put that Chelsea first half in context, PSG have scored 16 and conceded once in the entire tournament, prior to this match.
Peeeeeeeeeeep!
The match resumes!
PSG are back out early, looking fired up. They have almost certainly had a rollicking from Luis Enrique in the dressing room and have 45 minutes to put the first half right.
Chelsea finally emerge. I make that a 24-minute half-time break.
The Club World Cup loves a bit of novelty, so here’s a half-time interview from Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella, who is presumably on his way to the dressing room.
We controlled the game but we have 45 minutes to go. Nothing is done yet.
Mine was an important action. I anticipated Doue’s pass. We need to continue with the same intensity.
I regret to inform you that I won’t be doing justice to the half-time show, which has been “curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay and headlined by global chart-toppers J Balvin, Doja Cat, and Tems”, according to Fifa.
Instead, why don’t you have a read of this/these:
Half-time: Chelsea 3-0 PSG
Chelsea are in dreamland. With all the urgency of someone that needs the toilet, Dembele sprints off the field towards the dressing room. Perhaps he wants to set something up on the whiteboard for his teammates. Tactically, PSG were all at sea there.
45+5 min: Dembele has had a miserable half and as if to prove the point, clumsily punts the ball out for a Chelsea throw-in in attempting to find Doué.
45+2 min: Neves makes a late surge into the Chelsea box and bravely heads towards the far post. But Sanchez reacts well, flinging himself to his left and just claws the ball away from his goalline. Chelsea’s keeper is having a fantastic half.
45 min: Six minutes added on here. Six! It’s worth revisiting that João Pedro finish. Such composure. Donnarumma is probably the best keeper in the world and the former Brighton man just sat the Italian down. A perfectly executed dink.
44 min: I’m absolutely flabbergasted at PSG’s defending. The ease at which Palmer was able to turn and play from the half-way line was staggering. Where on earth were Fabian Ruiz or Neves. Nuno Mendes was berating his teammates well before João Pedro put the ball in the net. The PSG left-back knew his team were in trouble. And he was right.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 PSG (João Pedro 42)
Chelsea score again! What on earth is happening?! PSG are sinking without trace! Having scored twice, Palmer now turns provider, picking the ball up on the half-way line, dribbling 40 yards unchallenged and playing a deft through ball to João Pedro, who breaks the offside trap and dinks the ball over Donnarumma! The audacity! He’s only been at the club five minutes. Wow.
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39 min: Pedro Neto breaks down the left and suddenly Chelsea have three on two! João Pedro and Palmer await in the middle, with just two PSG defenders for company, but Neto’s cross is a poor one and Donnarumma claims. What a waste for Chelsea!
From the resulting PSG counter-attack, Kvaratskhelia nutmegs Gusto, the latter earning a yellow card.
37 min: PSG’s lauded front three have been deathly quiet since that Doue chance. Chelsea are doing a brilliant job of squeezing the space in front of them. Hats off to Trevoh Chalobah, centre-back for Chelsea today, who only returned from a loan spell at Crystal Palace in January.
35 min: Two bookings for Chelsea in quick succession. Pedro Neto and Caicedo both are yellow carded for dissent. Not ideal, particularly for the latter, who loves to snap into challenges.
33 min: Fair play to Robert Sánchez. The Spanish goalkeeper has had his critics in the past – I have never been a huge fan – but Sánchez made a huge save to deny Doue earlier in this half and he has been excellent with his feet, releasing both Gusto and Palmer for Chelsea’s two goals. The Blues are obviously targeting the space in behind Nuno Mendes but wanting to do that and actually dropping dimes in behind probably the best left-back in world football are two very different things.
31 min: “Is this final proof that the Conference League is the top competition in Europe?” asks Steven Grundy.
Champions of the the Conference League, you’ll never sing that (the Chelsea fans should be chanting).
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GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 PSG (Palmer 29)
Woooooooooow! PSG are all at sea down their left side again, as Palmer breaks free down Chelsea’s right. He runs at Lucas Beraldo, shimmying left and right to unsteady the PSG defender, before earning a yard of space on the edge of the box and curling another delicious finish inside the far post! Chelsea double their lead!
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27 min: “It’s all very well Fifa dictating mandatory breaks for players, but what about implementing them for us fans as well?” emails Justin Kavanagh. “I’ve a back lawn that’s needed cutting for since June, making the proud suburban horticulturalists on my street very angry about having a soccerball Euroweenie for a neighbor, I’m sure.”
25 min: There is a brief cooling break for the players. Both sides take on some fluids and instructions from their managers and coaches. Chelsea should be very happy with their half so far, but PSG have certainly threatened, despite not playing very well. They have a few gears to go up.
23 min: There is a brief fracas as players from both sides clash amid the goal celebrations. But it is quickly figured out by the officials and play restarts.
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GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 PSG (Palmer 22)
Gusto breaks down the right wing, beyond Nuno Mendes, and suddenly the Chelsea right back has a free run at goal! But rather than take the shot on from an acute-ish angle, he cuts back, tries a shot with his left – blocked by Mendes – before feeding Palmer on the edge. What follows next is simple, clinical attacking play. One touch by Palmer to control the pass, one side-footed finish into the corner. It’s not easy to beat Donnarumma from 20 yards, but Palmer does it expertly, the ball nestling in the corner. Palmer’s ‘cold’ celebration follows, and the Chelsea fans erupt!
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19 min: Big save from Sánchez to deny Doue! PSG play through the lines, with the ball eventually finding Doue on the edge of Chelsea’s box. The Frenchman cuts inside on his left and shoot fiercely at the near post, but Sánchez gets down wonderfully to his right and tips the ball wide.
17 min: Slowly, PSG are taking control of this game. Vitinha is beginning to run the show in the middle and Hakimi is making some of his trademark runs down that right flank.
15 min: PSG spring to life! A couple of passes no nearly unlock Chelsea as Fabian Ruiz whips an early cross across the face of goal. Doue loses his marker at the back post but instead of shooting, the Frenchman unselfishly cuts the ball back towards Kvaratskhelia … but Cucurella brilliantly intercepts. Had the Spaniard not read that final pass, it would have been a tap-in for Kvaratskhelia.
12 min: The cameras pan to Trump and Infantino in the stands. The pair haven’t spoken a word and the US president’s eyes are so squinted, he looks as though he might be asleep, which wouldn’t exactly be a PR win for Fifa.
10 min: A few big Chelsea challenges going in. João Pedro upends Dembele, Caicedo goes in on Fabian Ruiz and Cucurella is a little unlucky to be penalised for a tackle on Doue. The Blues are up for it.
8 min: Inches wide from Palmer! A beautiful Chelsea move culminates in a clever flicked lay-off from João Pedro to Palmer, stationed centrally and right on the edge of PSG’s box. Palmer shoots first time with his left, bending a shot juuuuuuust wide of the post. Donnarumma was motionless there! What’s more, it actually hit something behind the goal, which ricocheted and made look like a goal! Lots of fans in the stadium thought it was in.
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6 min: It’s all Chelsea. This is a great start from the London club as Enzo Fernandez turns beautifully in midfield and pings a beautiful through ball to João Pedro. The Brazilian breaks the offside trap but is forced wide and doesn’t see the run of Gusto at the back post. Instead João Pedro, checks back and the move breaks down.
4 min: Whisper it, but PSG have made a clumsy start to this game. Twice they have ceded possession deep in their own territory but Chelsea fail to make them pay.
2 min: An exquisite touch from Cole Palmer as the Englishman brings a high ball out of the air and sets Chelsea on the counter attack. João Pedro is released down the right but his cross is deflected towards Donnarumma.
Peeeeeeeeeeeep!
We are underway in New Jersey. Finally.
It’s all business now. Having missed the quarter-final and semi-final, Reece James is Chelsea’s captain today and shakes hands with his opposite number, PSG’s Marquinhos. Let’s do this.
We are late kicking off, owing to those pre-match festivities. Blame Robbie Williams. To make things worse, the players are having their customary individual introductions from the dressing rooms.
The USA national anthem is played. In the stands, a saluting Donald Trump stands next to his wife, Melania, and Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
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This being a final being played in the USA, there is a pre-match show on the pitch. Robbie Williams, of Take That fame, is absolutely murdering a song alongside someone called Laura Pausini.
There is an excruciating moment at the end of the song, where Williams affectionately sweeps back the hair on Pausini’s face and then appears to forget the name of his partner.
I see there is also a half-time show. These are the details, courtesy of a press-release.
The star-studded show, produced by Global Citizen and curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay, will be headlined by global chart-toppers J Balvin, Doja Cat, and Tems.
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This isn’t the only football match kicking off in 15 minutes.
“Because of the abundance of football here at 3PM EDT, I will be dual-screening,” emails Joe Pearson. “England women on the TV, CWC Final on the computer. On Football Weekly, Lars always says to watch one and listen to the other. Which should get the watch, which the listen?”
Watch England v Wales at the Euros, read this minute-by-minute report of Chelsea v PSG!
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Donald Trump is the most prominent person watching on from the stands, but there is also a heavy NFL contingent here at the home for the New York Giants and New York Jets.
Jets owner Woody Johnson, who last month signed a £190m deal to buy John Textor’s shares in Crystal Palace, is also here. Legendary quarterback Tom Brady has also been seen chatting pitchside with Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots.
Say what you like about the heat at this tournament, but Luis Enrique’s tan is something to behold.
The PSG manager is out on the pitch, watching his team warm up, and looks very relaxed. This is what he had to say this week, in the lead up to this match.
I don’t believe in individual awards in general and still less for a coach. The team is always above the individual and that is something we try to transmit at PSG. Ousmane [Dembélé] is the best for what he has done individually, for the goals and assists, but above the goals and the assists it is because his work has meant that PSG won all the trophies. And that should be the only criteria by which a player is rewarded individually. That’s my opinion, and I am sure there are others.
This is a good email, by Russell Yong.
“As this tournament reaches its denouement, I find myself getting philosophical. The biggest accusation throughout has been how much of a money-spinning contrivance it is. But really, all tournaments are a contrivance. Even the ones we cherish, they didn’t just phase out of another dimension. They were conceived by suited bureaucrats trying to spin new ways to throw teams together while hoping to financially profit. As such, I think it’s important to identify bad-faith grumbling by those who are essentially suggesting that there are only four tournaments worth caring about: the league, the Cup (and even that’s take-or-leave for a growing number of people), the Champions League and the World Cup (and bear in mind people were resentful of the latter two when they were first conceived as well). Are there concerns that there has been Too Much Football? Sure. But all it takes is some common-sense legislation to address that issue, and things immediately look a little brighter. Which is why the news that Fifa has caved on mandatory breaks for players is so welcome. It’s far from perfect, but it’s already a damned sight better than what we had.”
This is the mandatory break story Russell mentioned.
Some pre-match reading, courtesy of Sid Lowe …
… and Jacob Steinberg (who if you didn’t guess by the last post, is at MetLife Stadium reporting for us).
Three helicopters have just flown over the MetLife Stadium. No word on who’s in them but every chance it’s President Trump. The security operation is quite extraordinary here. TSA officials were conducting bag searches at the media entrance – you usually see them at US airports! – and there are Secret Service officials everywhere.
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Other early Chelsea observations, from that starting line-up:
Interesting that Liam Delap’s reign as Enzo Maresca’s first-choice centre forward seemed to last a couple of weeks (before João Pedro turned up).
Moisés Caicedo is indeed fit, having only returned to training on Thursday after an injury against Fluminense. Lavia is on the bench, although it is probably he is not fully fit. He might be an option for Maresca later in the game, particularly if things are close. Lavia as regarded by Maresca (and other footy nerds) as being something called ‘press-resistant’, which is a pretty handy thing against this monster-pressing PSG side. But it basically means that he is good at keeping the ball under pressure, and good at finding passing lanes when he’s not.
There are three Blues keepers on the bench! Three! Maybe perhaps one is filling in for Madueke, who has left the squad to finalise his move to Arsenal.
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Pretty much a first-choice XI from both teams. There are a couple of exclusions to remind you of.
Chelsea
Jamie Gittens, Chelsea’s new winger, is cup tied, having played for Borussia Dortmund earlier this tournament.
PSG
Defensive duo Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernández are suspended, following their red cards against Bayern in the quarter-finals. This is the second game of a two-match ban.
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The teams!
Chelsea: Sanchez, Gusto, Cucurella, Chalobah, Colwill, Caicedo, James, Fernandez, Joao Pedro, Palmer, Pedro Neto.
Subs: Slonina, Jorgensen, Penders, Adarabioyo, Sarr, Anselmino, Acheampong, Dewsbury-Hall, Lavia, Santos, Nkunku, Delap, Jackson, Guiu, George.
PSG: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, Marquinhos, Lucas Beraldo, Vitinha, Neves, Fabian, Dembele, Doue, Kvaratskhelia.
Subs: Safonov, Tenas, Kimpembe, Kamara, Lee, Zaire Emery, Gabriel Moscardo, Mayulu, Goncalo Ramos, Barcola, Mbaye.
Preamble
The lucrative denouement to Gianni Infantino’s elaborate vanity project or the latest step in the globalisation of football and the footballisation of the the global calendar? This Club World Cup final is a little bit of both, truth be told, but a preamble to a minute-by-minute report is not the place to get too soapboxy, even if this is the Guardian.
Let’s not think too macro here. We are here because we like football and we like interesting football matches, and this is certainly one of those. Newly-crowned European champions PSG, who battered Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-finals of this tournament (and were even accused of taking it easy on the Spanish club), laid waste to a host of English clubs – Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal – on their way to the Champions League title have a chance to add another notch to their bedpost in Chelsea, themselves an increasingly formidable force.
The Blues finished their Premier League season strongly to qualify for the Champions League, won the Europa Conference League final and have since bought and sold extremely well, adding João Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap and Estêvão and Dário Essugo and somehow flogging Noni Madueke to Arsenal for £52m and Serbian goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic to Bournemouth for £25m. Having recently been viewed as a bit of a mess, they suddenly feel like contenders for the major honours again, including this one.
Heatwatch: it is expected to be 27°C at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which sounds very hot to this writer, but is actually a lot cooler than Chelsea’s semi-final against Fluminense, when the temperature was 35°C. “I had to lie down on the ground because I was really dizzy,” said Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández after the match. Playing in this temperature is very dangerous.”
However much Infantino wants to champion this tournament – and he really does – there are serious questions to be answered over player welfare. Let’s hope that everyone on the pitch and in the stands enjoys today’s match.
And let’s hope we enjoy it, too! It should be a cracker and either cement an absolutely sensational season for the best male team in the world or show how far Chelsea have come under Enzo Maresca.
Kick-off is at 8pm BST, or 3pm local time.
