Chelsea may have cruised to a commanding 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup final, but the post-match headlines have been dominated by an ugly bust-up involving PSG manager Luis Enrique and Chelsea’s rising star Joao Pedro.
The high-stakes clash, held at MetLife Stadium in the United States, ended with an explosion of emotions. As Chelsea players celebrated their second major trophy of the season, having already secured the Conference League, Luis Enrique stormed across the field and struck Joao Pedro in the face, leaving the 23-year-old forward sprawled on the ground.
Video footage from the scene shows Enrique initially grabbing Pedro by the throat, with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma also confronting the young striker. When Enrique’s grip slipped, the former Barcelona boss lashed out again, this time connecting squarely with Pedro’s face.
Chaos erupted as both teams flooded the pitch. Enraged PSG players, including Achraf Hakimi, engaged in heated arguments with Chelsea stars Andrey Santos and Pedro, while Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca had to be restrained from Enrique. Tensions ran high as the drama overshadowed Chelsea’s flawless win.
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Palmer, who scored twice in the final, and Pedro, the third goalscorer, had already silenced critics before tempers flared. “Everyone doubted us before the game,” Palmer said post-match. “We knew that. The gaffer gave us a brilliant plan, freed me up, and I had to repay him with goals.”
Maresca, visibly proud, praised his squad: “I have no words for the players. We set the tempo in the first 10 minutes, that’s where we won the game. The conditions weren’t easy, but the mindset was perfect.”
Enzo Maresca’s tactical genius stunned PSG, who couldn’t recover from Palmer’s early brace and Pedro’s lethal finish before halftime. The French giants, fresh off their Champions League success, were outclassed and left frustrated, culminating in the emotional meltdown.
Adding to the spectacle, U.S. President Donald Trump watched from the stands alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, even taking part in the trophy presentation to the jubilant Chelsea squad. “This is a bit of an upset we’ve watched today,” Trump remarked, a nod to Chelsea’s underdog status heading into the clash.
Looking ahead, Chelsea players have earned a three-week holiday before returning for a high-profile mini-tournament at Stamford Bridge against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan starting August 8. They’ll kick off their Premier League season at home against Crystal Palace on August 17.
But the question now lingers: will FIFA take disciplinary action against Luis Enrique and PSG after this shocking act of violence?
One thing is certain, Chelsea’s dominance on the pitch is no longer up for debate, and Enzo Maresca is building something fans can finally believe in.
