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Chelsea thrash PSG 3-0 to win FIFA Club World Cup

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Cole Palmer scored two goals and made another as Chelsea stunned Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Club World Cup on Sunday, beating the European champions 3-0 at the MetLife Stadium to win the first edition of FIFA’s new competition.

PSG were the favourites for a game attended by Donald Trump after coming to the United States fresh from winning the UEFA Champions League and having destroyed Real Madrid 4-0 in the semi-finals.

But having been three goals ahead midway through the first half in the semis, this time the roles were reversed as PSG found themselves 3-0 down by the break.

Palmer opened the scoring midway through the first half and struck again to make it two on the half-hour mark, before taking advantage of passive defending to set up Joao Pedro for the third on 43 minutes.

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A bad day for PSG was summed up when Joao Neves was shown red following a VAR review four minutes from the end for pulling Marc Cucurella by the hair off the ball.

It was a scoreline that few could have predicted as Chelsea capped what has been a long but memorable season — they are the first ever winners of the 32-team Club World Cup having also won the UEFA Conference League and finished fourth in the Premier League.

They will also take away around $125 million in prize money, meaning the prospect of a drastically curtailed summer break before returning for next season will surely feel worth it.

For PSG, meanwhile, the financial rewards are similar but there will be genuine disappointment at falling short of adding this title to their Champions League triumph and French league and cup double.

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Nevertheless, conquering Europe was always the main aim this season for Luis Enrique’s team, who now have exactly a month to digest this and take a holiday before returning to action in the UEFA Super Cup against Tottenham Hotspur.

– Trump in attendance –

There was a real sense of occasion at the MetLife Stadium, with the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline and with President Trump in attendance along with First Lady Melania Trump in a crowd of 81,118.

There was even the first-ever half-time show at a FIFA tournament, adding a Super Bowl feel to a final played at the home of NFL sides the New York Giants and New York Jets.

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As for the football, for the second time in six weeks PSG found themselves involved in a final that quickly turned into a one-sided affair.

The club claimed a historic 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final, but here they were ripped apart by Chelsea on another hot afternoon.

Palmer almost put Chelsea ahead inside the opening 10 minutes, before PSG should have scored at the other end only for Desire Doue to try to pass to Achraf Hakimi rather than shoot inside the box, allowing Cucurella to block.

It was Chelsea who struck in the 22nd minute as Malo Gusto got the better of Nuno Mendes down the right before seeing his shot blocked by Lucas Beraldo. The ball came back to Gusto and he teed up Palmer to finish into the bottom-left corner.

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Palmer has been the face of Chelsea on billboards in the United States during the tournament and he lived up to his star billing by scoring again on the half-hour.

Released on the right with PSG left-back Mendes out of position, Palmer advanced towards the box before stroking a low shot into the same corner.

Joao Pedro played a part in the build-up to that goal and the Brazilian, signed during the tournament from Brighton, then got his name on the scoresheet to make it 3-0.

Scorer of both goals against Fluminense in the semi-finals, he clipped a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma after being supplied by Palmer.

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PSG had conceded a single goal in their previous eight matches and they never really looked like producing a comeback, even if Neves headed just wide in first-half stoppage time.

Substitute Liam Delap almost got a fourth for Chelsea midway through the second half, before Neves was shown red to complete a bad day for PSG.

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SAD! Super Eagles Star Chukwueze Breaks Down At Mother’s Funeral

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Nigerian international footballer Samuel Chukwueze laid his mother, Mrs. Sarah Chukwueze, to rest on Friday May 29 in Abia State in a very emotional burial ceremony.

The video from the event shows the AC Milan winger and his family gathered as they paid their final respects to the woman many described as the pillar of their home. Chukwueze lost his mother earlier this year after a brief illness, and yesterday marked the final goodbye.

In the footage, you can see the pain on the faces of family members as the casket was lowered. Friends, teammates, and well-wishers turned out to support the Super Eagles star during this difficult moment. The atmosphere was heavy, with many people, including Chukwueze visibly moved by the occasion.

Super Eagles player Samuel Chukwueze today laid his late mother, Mrs. Sarah Chukwueze, to rest in Abia State.

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Mrs. Sarah Chukwueze passed away in January 2026 at the peak of the football season in Europe pushing forward the burial for the mother of one Nigeria’s tantalizing attackers to the end of the season.

Chukwueze’s brother had earlier broken the news on Instagram, describing their mother as a loving and supportive woman who stood by her children through thick and thin.

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Mourinho returns to Real Madrid on three-year deal

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José Mourinho is set for a dramatic return to Real Madrid after signing a three-year contract to take charge of the Spanish giants, ending weeks of speculation over the club’s managerial future.

The Portuguese coach will not be officially presented until after Real Madrid’s presidential election scheduled for June 7.

However, the agreement depends on current president Florentino Perez retaining his position in an election expected to end his club’s first contested presidential race in two decades.

Mourinho, 63, leaves Benfica after a brief spell that ended with a third-place finish in Portugal’s Primeira Liga.

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His return comes as Real Madrid seek a reset after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign that ended without silverware.

Barcelona reclaimed the La Liga title, while Bayern Munich knocked Los Blancos out of the Champions League quarter-finals.

Mourinho previously managed Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup during a fiercely competitive era dominated by clashes with Barcelona.

He replaces Alvaro Arbeloa, who took over in January following Xabi Alonso’s departure.

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Since leaving Madrid in 2013, Mourinho has managed Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica, collecting major honours including a Premier League title with Chelsea, the Europa League with United and the Europa Conference League with Roma.

Real Madrid are now turning back to a familiar figure, banking on Mourinho’s experience, authority and winning pedigree to end two barren seasons and restore the club’s dominance.

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UCL Final: Dembele, Hakimi Return As PSG Name Squad For Arsenal Showdown

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Paris Saint-Germain have received a timely injury boost ahead of Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final against Arsenal after naming both Ousmane Dembele and Achraf Hakimi in their travelling squad.

The inclusion of the influential duo will come as welcome news for PSG manager Luis Enrique, with both players having faced late fitness concerns before European club football’s biggest occasion.

Hakimi has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury during the first leg of PSG’s semi-final clash against Bayern Munich, while Dembele picked up a knock during the Ligue 1 season finale against Paris FC. Their selection now strongly suggests they will be available for the final.

Hakimi remains a key figure for the Paris club and etched his name into Champions League history last season when he opened the scoring in PSG’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in Munich to secure the club’s maiden European crown.

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Arsenal, however, will be determined to deny the French champions back-to-back titles. The Gunners head into the final brimming with confidence after securing the Premier League title less than a week ago and now have their sights set on completing a memorable double.

Mikel Arteta’s side have also received encouraging news on the injury front, with Dutch defender Jurrien Timber returning to training and included in the squad travelling to Hungary. Timber has been absent since March with a hamstring injury sustained against Everton, missing 14 matches in all competitions.

PSG winger Bradley Barcola warned Arsenal that the reigning champions remain united and highly motivated.

“It’s a great honour to be playing in a second final,” Barcola told club media.

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“We’re going to do everything we can to win it. We attack together and defend together, and that collective spirit is our greatest strength.”

The final also carries an element of unfinished business for Arsenal, who were eliminated by PSG in last season’s semi-finals after a 3-1 aggregate defeat.

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