Enzo Maresca steered Chelsea to global success with a comprehensive 3-0 victory against PSG in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final. And the Italian boss isn’t pulling any punches – he reckons it could soon be considered bigger than the Champions League.
Cole Palmer scored twice early on and Joao Pedro added a neat finish, but it was Maresca’s tactical acumen that blew PSG away from the opening whistle. The victory was the icing on the cake of a glorious season, with Chelsea adding the world title to their world-class manager’s honours in his first season in charge.
Maresca’s Tactical Execution Under Pressure
Meanwhile, Maresca lined Chelsea up with an aggressive, man-to-man pressing system that suffocated PSG’s front three. The game plan played out perfectly in the first 10 minutes, as Chelsea pressed PSG into submission under New Jersey’s sweltering heat.
He aimed at PSG’s suspect left flank, sending out Reece James and Cole Palmer to penetrate right away. Within eight minutes, Chelsea led 2-0—Maresca later said, “We won it in the first ten.”
The Italian also praised the mental fortitude of his players. “In this heat, to press at that level and stay compact takes heart,” he said. “They followed the plan flawlessly.”
Club World Cup > Champions League?
The Club World Cup, the Chelsea manager said, is “as important or even more important than the Champions League”, calling it the greatest challenge of world-class winners.
Based on his own time with Manchester City, he stressed the cachet of a title that sees continental giants squared off, not just the best team in Europe. He added that Chelsea fans will now wear the “world champion” patch with pride for four years.
It’s a win that could have more substantive ramifications across global football – and Enzo Maresca wants Chelsea to be at the front of it.
As featured on Chelseanews.com
