Chelsea’s Cole Palmer named best player in inaugural FIFA Club World Cup 2025

NEW YORK: Chelsea’s Cole Palmer has been named the best player in the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup 2025, after a stellar performance in the final. Chelsea won the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup 2025 by defeating French champions Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 with a superb first-half performance, in New Jersey on Monday.

Palmer scored twice and set up another player-of-the-match performance in the men’s football final, before picking up the award, according to Olympics.com. Throughout the competition, he scored a total of three goals and contributed another two assists to inspire Chelsea to the title.

Robert Sanchez picked up the Golden Gloves award for the best goalkeeper in the tournament. Even though he conceded five goals in Chelsea’s seven games, he made a string of fine saves that helped the Blues to victory. PSG’s Desire Doue was named the best young player award, consolation for him and his club, after an underwhelming showing in the final. Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia won the Golden Boot.

Cole Palmer is the Club World Cup 𝑷𝑳𝑨𝒀𝑬𝑹 𝑶𝑭 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑻𝑶𝑼𝑹𝑵𝑨𝑴𝑬𝑵𝑻 pic.twitter.com/SwKRYNDTes

— 433 (@433) July 13, 2025

Coming to the final, favourites PSG had not let up a goal in their previous four games heading into the final of the men’s football tournament, but they found themselves behind in the 22nd minute, when Cole Palmer controlled a clever layoff from Malo Gusto before bending a sumptuous effort into the far corner, giving Chelsea the early breakthrough.

Eight minutes later, the 23-year-old doubled Chelsea’s lead; this time latching on to a ball from deep and, with the same ice-cool precision, bent it into the far corner once again. Copy, paste. PSG finished the game with 10 men after João Neves received a straight red card for pulling Marc Cucurella’s hair five minutes from time.

Chelsea added the Club World Cup trophy to the UEFA Conference League trophy they won back in May, capping off an impressive debut season for Italian Maresca at Stamford Bridge. (ANI)