After a resounding 4-0 victory over Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the ongoing Club World Cup, Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain will face Chelsea in the final – a clash that promises to be a thrilling showdown between two of Europe’s finest.

With world-class talent on both sides, high stakes, and continental pride on the line, the final is set to deliver an intriguing match as PSG look to cap off a historic year. At the same time, Chelsea aim to claim global supremacy and add another prestigious trophy to their cabinet.

The game, played at the MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States, will see two teams looking to secure back-to-back trophies and become the first club to win the revamped Club World Cup under its new structure.

Both sides head into the final in solid form, each having suffered just one defeat in the tournament.

With silverware already secured earlier in the season, the stage is set for a highly anticipated clash that could prove decisive in shaping the narrative of their campaigns.

Relentless and Ruthless: PSG’s Path to the Final

The French side have been in glorious form, picking up where they left off at the end of their domestic and European campaign, where they won the French league with 84 points, also thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 to record the biggest European final win in history.

They came into this competition as one of the favourites to win and so far, have not disappointed, except on one occasion when they suffered a shocking 1-0 loss to Botafogo in their second group stage game – a defeat that has not affected their run.

They’ve still managed to register five wins in six games, scoring 16 goals and conceding just one.

Their journey to the final has been anything but easy, having battled some of Europe’s toughest sides, including Atletico Madrid, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, Bayern Munich, whom they were able to beat with nine men and their last opponent, Real Madrid.

Chelsea, on the other hand, have got to this stage of the competition after navigating past opponents who, while not as formidable on paper, still posed their challenges along the way.

In just two years in charge of the club, Luis Enrique has turned PSG into world beaters. The reigning European Champions are a side most teams in Europe will dread facing, but when it comes to underdogs pulling out a surprising victory, no team does it better than Chelsea.

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Enzo Maresca: Proving the Doubters Wrong

Enzo Maresca began his tenure at Chelsea with one goal: to guide the club back into the UEFA Champions League.

Not only did he achieve that, but he also led the team to victory in the UEFA Conference League – a competition where they were heavy favourites – adding another piece of silverware to the cabinet and making Chelsea the first club in history to win every major European competition.

Going a step further to win the Club World Cup with the English Premier League’s youngest squad would see the Italian surpass his objective and would give a sense of calm to Chelsea fans who have doubted and still doubt him.

Key Players

Ousmane Dembele

Ousmane Dembele, one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or later in the year, is having a dream season.

Currently on 35 goals and 14 assists in 52 games, the former Barcelona winger, once plagued with injuries, looks a different player, a player reborn and one with the world at his feet.

After the departure of Kylian Mbappe, fans would have thought the team would suffer offensively but that hasn’t been the case.

Leading his team from the front, Dembele, who has found freedom in his role at PSG, will pose a severe threat to the Chelsea defence.

Cole Palmer

A “bad campaign” by Cole Palmer’s standards has still seen him register an impressive 28 goal contributions this season.

While his second year hasn’t been as prolific as his breakout season, as he suffered a three-month goal drought, the Englishman has continued to show flashes of his quality, providing key assists and contributing defensively during difficult stretches.

In the Conference League final against Real Betis, Palmer reminded the world of his quality as he single-handedly turned the game on its head, forcing the equaliser and delivering a cross that came off the chest of Nicolas Jackson, and at the end, picked up the Man of the Match award.

This CWC final is a chance to add another silverware to his glittering résumé, having won the Champions League with Man City.

Desire Doue

After having a stellar breakout season last year, Desire Doue became the fourth-youngest scorer in Champions League history at the age of 19 with his brace against Inter Milan.

He also became the first player to contribute two goals in a single half of a UCL final.

Doué, a frontrunner for the 2025 Golden Boy award, has been in scintillating form during his debut season at PSG, racking up 30 goal contributions.

His standout performances have firmly established him as one to watch in the upcoming final.

Vitinha

Portuguese midfielder Vitinha, known for his passing, composure and control in the midfield, could be a decisive figure if PSG are to be crowned champions – provided he delivers on the big stage.

Vitinha, who played a pivotal role in PSG’s Champions League triumph and earned three man of the match awards, has been instrumental in their journey to the final.

His energy, vision, and creativity in midfield will be crucial to their chances of lifting the trophy.

Moises Caicedo

Ecuadorian Moises Caicedo is a doubt for this clash as he picked up a nasty ankle injury in the semi-finals against Fluminense.

At the end of the match, he was pictured with an ice pack wrapped around his left leg.

If fit, it would be a welcome boost for Chelsea, as Caicedo – a mainstay in the team’s midfield – has, on several occasions, single-handedly dominated the midfield battle, underlining his importance to the side.

Last season, he was one of Chelsea’s most consistent performers, often leading in tackles, interceptions, and recoveries, and providing crucial balance alongside Enzo Fernandez.

Enzo Fernandez

The 2022 Argentine World Cup winner, Enzo Fernandez, has had an improved campaign this term.

His numbers and performances have made him one of the first names on the team sheet.
His growth at Chelsea has been impressive.

So far, this season has been his best in a Blues shirt as he has recorded nine goals and 17 assists in all competitions this term, including one goal and three assists in the CWC.

The midfield battle will be a decisive area that could ultimately determine the match for both sides.

Donnarumma

At his best, Donnarumma is simply unbeatable. The Italian shotstopper, on the way to winning the Yashin award for the best goalkeeper in the world, was outstanding in his side’s run to claiming the UCL.

Standing at 6ft4, the towering goalie has made superb saves this CWC campaign, and against Chelsea, bringing his A-game, could result in his team lifting the trophy.

Key Battles

Reece James Vs Kvitcha Kvaratskhelia

Since switching clubs mid-season, moving from Napoli to PSG, Kvaratskhelia has shown his ability to adapt and perform superbly in any country he finds himself in.

The Georgian will be a threat throughout the match, but will be up against Reece James, one of the best right-backs in the world.

The Chelsea captain, this season, has found the fitness that has eluded him for the past two campaigns.

“Reece James shoots like a horse” is a quote used by former Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel to describe his powerful and accurate shooting ability.

Defensively, James is good but offensively, he also contributes to the team. His ball crossing places him up there with the best in the world.

Vitinha vs Moises Caicedo

A true midfield clash sees Vitinha square up against Moises Caicedo – PSG’s creativity and control versus Caicedo’s energy and ball-winning tenacity.

Whoever wins this battle could tilt the final in their team’s favour.

Both players rank among the top midfielders in their respective leagues for interceptions and passing accuracy, highlighting not just their individual quality but also how central they are to their teams’ systems.

Vitinha thrives in controlling the flow of the game while unlocking defences, while Caicedo, who in the Premier League last season had a total number of 114 tackles, 49 Interceptions and 10 blocks.

He excels at breaking up play, with his 239 duels won placing him among the top three in the league. Coupled with his ability to launch quick counterattacks, it highlights his importance in transition, and why head coach Maresca told him to “do everything to be on the pitch” on Sunday.

His attributes of both players differ, with Vitinha’s composed, possession-based style only adding to the intensity of the contest, making the midfield battle even more fiercely contested.

Joao Pedro vs Marquinhos

After spending 12 years at the French club, captain Marquinhos finally got his hands on the prestigious UCL trophy.

Months later, he’ll be looking to add another one, as he looks set to lead his side against Chelsea. His task will be to keep new signing Joao Pedro quiet.

Pedro, who joined from Brighton and Hove earlier this month, scored two beautiful goals against his old club, Fluminense.

Those goals helped Chelsea secure passage to the final game of the competition. His aggressiveness and tenacity will make him a handful for the 31-year-old Brazilian defender.

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Head To Head

Both teams have faced off eight times, all in the UEFA Champions League. PSG have won three of those encounters, Chelsea two, with the remaining three ending in draws.

Their most recent clash came in the 2015/16 season, where PSG advanced to the quarter-finals with a 4-2 aggregate victory in February/March 2016.

Prediction

A tough game awaits, with the Club World Cup now played every four years – a change that could serve as extra motivation for both teams. With so much at stake, expect both sides to give everything for the trophy.

PSG, who enter as clear favourites on paper, should come out on top, especially with this being Chelsea’s first real challenge in the competition.

However, the Blues are no strangers to defying the odds, just as they did in Munich in 2012.

Still, the depth and talent within this PSG squad may be too much for the Blues to handle.

Final score: Paris Saint-Germain 2 – 1 Chelsea

Main Photo

Credit: IMAGO / Brazil Photo Press

Recording Date: 20.05.2025