When the referee blew the final whistle, it became reality. Chelsea FC, once again, defied the odds to become the first club ever to conquer the brand-new FIFA Club World Cup, hosted in the United States. A unique edition with the 32 best teams on the planet, it proved a success both on the pitch and financially for FIFA, ahead of next year’s major event.
For Chelsea FC, defeating clear favourites Paris Saint-Germain with relative ease – a first-half brace from Cole Palmer (22’, 30’) and another strike from João Pedro (43’) – was a statement to the world: they are back.
Previous difficulties
“There is a light at the end of every tunnel” – a famous quote that fits the club’s last three years’ story perfectly. After the UK government forced the club’s sale, ownership moved from Roman Abramovich to a consortium called BlueCo, led by American businessman Todd Boehly.
In the meantime, the club’s appeal faded and results collapsed. Graham Potter, Bruno Saltor, Frank Lampard and Mauricio Pochettino all took turns in the dugout, but none had it easy. External circumstances didn’t help either.
Chelsea finished 12th in the 2022-23 Premier League season, then “recovered” to 6th the following year. With no European competition in between and lacklustre results on the pitch, it felt like a downward spiral until Enzo Maresca was announced as head coach in May 2024.
Italian mister in charge
That proved a turning point and, perhaps, one of the savviest decisions in the club’s recent history. The former Leicester City coach restored a winning mentality and a bold, attractive style of play. As a result, Chelsea clinched a top-four spot (while becoming the youngest Premier League side ever at 24 years and 36 days) and lifted the Conference League trophy after a 4-1 win over Real Betis in the final.
With that emotional boost, they headed to the United States for the inaugural Club World Cup.
A 3-1 defeat to Flamengo in the second group stage game, a weather-delayed four-hour encounter against Benfica, back-to-back wins over Brazilian sides thanks to mid-tournament signing João Pedro, and a sensational performance in the final against the Champions League holders – it was a wild month. They won silverware, gained experience and proved they could be serial winners again.
“I’m very happy especially for them [players] because they deserve this moment. At the end of the day you can give a detailed plan to your players, but they need to execute it and they did that so well,” Maresca told the club’s official channel after the final.
A special mention goes to Willie Isa, added to the backroom staff as player support and development officer. The former Wigan Warriors centre played a vital role in the squad’s mentality shift. This Chelsea side isn’t just tactically well-drilled, they run tirelessly and press smartly like lions. Much of that hunger should be credited to Isa.
Fan insight
The success is a signal of hope for the future and shows how the club has managed to return to the good old ways. Nathalia Tavares, a communicator and avid football fan, travelled to the United States and witnessed the tournament first-hand.
“It was great to see Chelsea acting like they knew they could win it, which eventually happened. Not only will Chelsea wear that badge for 4 years, but they come into this season with a lot of confidence in where they are heading, so much different than it has been for the past 5 years or so” she explained.
Maybe the initial loss against Flamengo ended up being a blessing in disguise, as the team avoided the big favourite Paris SG until the final match — rather than facing them in a knockout phase. “I guess there was a big expectation of Chelsea topping the group which would mean a harder path, but it didn’t happen, so the title became more tangible” Tavares stated.
“It’s very clear how the mentality has shifted ever since the Fulham away game,” explains Gabriel Fraga, a lifelong Chelsea fan from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In that match, Chelsea kept their Champions League hopes alive after a quick late turnaround — thanks to goals from Tyrique George and Pedro Neto.
Since his arrival last year, Pedro Neto keeps proving decisive when it matters most.
Another detail Fraga pointed out was how smart and prepared the new coach is. “Maresca’s system has evolved,” he added. And yes, as seen in the games against Flamengo and in the final, the Italian coach is not afraid to shake things up depending on the opponent.
New season ahead
Only three weeks after lifting the trophy in the USA, the Blues returned for a short preseason, and they did it in style. They beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 and AC Milan 4-1, both matches played at the tempo of world champions. Fans at Stamford Bridge also got a first look at the club’s new signings.
Estêvão Willian, the Brazilian prodigy, made his long-awaited debut and immediately impressed. A goal and a penalty-won assist across two games, plus flashes of pure quality play, had the crowd cheering loudly. At just 18, he’s already pushing for a starting spot and, if he keeps this up, it won’t take long.
“We punished him for scoring against us,” joked Maresca. As a reminder, Estêvão scored one of the tournament’s best goals for Palmeiras in the Club World Cup (ironically against Chelsea).
João Pedro (23), Jorrel Hato (19), Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (21), Liam Delap (22), Darío Essugo (20) and Aarón Anselmino (20) also made their home debuts. All are under 23, a clear sign of the club’s long-term vision.
No more blue days
After losing the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool in February 2024, former player and pundit Gary Neville branded Chelsea “a blue billion-pound bottlejob.”
The joke spread quickly across media and social platforms, but Todd Boehly’s plan stayed on course. Backed by sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, less than two years later the project is paying off.
As the trophies keep filling the Stamford Bridge cabinet, the standards get higher. Tavares acknowledges this clearly: “My expectations for the season are the best possible. Returning to the UCL is huge already, but I feel like Chelsea can push in the PL and do better in the national cups — although I don’t think they should be a priority as they’ve been in the past years”.
Back in business, Chelsea kicked off their Premier League campaign with seven points out of nine. After a goalless home draw against Crystal Palace, they responded with back-to-back wins — a 5-1 thrashing of West Ham and a solid 2-0 victory over Fulham. They may not be title favorites, but they’ve already shown their credentials.
Before the transfer window closed, Chelsea secured the signing of Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United. The 21-year-old winger finally landed at Stamford Bridge and will be available for Maresca right after the international break. Fellow Argentine attacker Facundo Buonanotte also joined on a season-long loan from Brighton.
Chelsea are back where they belong and this feels like just the beginning of a new era of success at Stamford Bridge.
