The final of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup features the UEFA Champions League winner PSG, against the UEFA Conference League winner Chelsea. It’s two of Europe’s strongest and most decorated clubs of the current era facing off at Metlife Stadium near New York City in FIFA’S centerpiece club game. Here is your look at all the action.
PSG vs Chelsea
(Sunday in New York City)
PSG’s demolition job of Real Madrid, a 4-0 win that was more dominant than their result against Inter Miami earlier in the tournament, was a statement. Fabian Ruiz and Ousmane Dembele scored within the first 10 minutes and the game was gone from there. With almost 70% possession, and scoring easily (Ruiz scored twice in the first half), Real Madrid was left completely hopeless for 80 minutes, That result has matched what PSG has done in almost all of their recent games, the Champions League final against Inter Milan was also completely lopsided as Luis Enrique’s men pressed and attacked and never gave Inter a chance to get in it. PSG isn’t just a skilled attacking team, they have only conceded one goal this tournament, to a defensive Botafogo side that knocked them off, and then fired their manager for “playing too defensively” days later.
That Botafogo win may go down as one of football’s greatest upsets given what a PSG team with elite, young, motivated talent has produced in season 2024-25.
Chelsea’s only chance is to avoid going behind early, their talent proved too much for Fluminense in the semis, a 2-0 win as the Brazilian addition Joao Pedro scored both goals. Chelsea’s South American core with Moises Caicedo in the midfield has been huge for them this tournament, they defeated another Brazilian side, Palmeiras, 2-1 in the quarterfinals.
To their credit, this very good Chelsea team has not conceded more than a single goal in any of their matches this tournament, but this still feels like a mismatch. Chelsea focusing on a defensive, possession-based approach to keep it tied at the half would be viable for Enzo Maresca. Levi Cowill and Liam Delap are back available. and there’s no Willian Pacho or Lucas Hernandez for PSG, but the reality is PSG is the team that will steer this game, they are an intimidating side. Anything is possible in a final, but PSG have earned the status as heavy favorites, it’s hard to see Chelsea doing what Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, and Real Madrid could not.
Prediction: PSG 3 Chelsea 1
Main Photo Credit: IMAGO Images Copyright: xMichtofx
