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“I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”

Few could.

Paris St-Germain have been swatting aside all-comers all season, from wrapping up the Ligue 1 title in early April to demolishing Inter Milan in a Champions League final so one-sided it was scarcely believable.

They seemed to be breezing through the Club World Cup in similar fashion, too, beating Bayern Munich with nine men and then thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 on their way to Sunday’s final.

But, heavily tipped to cruise past Chelsea in New Jersey, this time it was the Parisians who were left stunned.

Even before Coldplay’s colourful half-time show arrived, Cole Palmer had scored two superb goals and created another for Joao Pedro to put the Blues 3-0 up. That is how it ended.

“I’ve never seen PSG turn the ball over as much as they have in this first half,” said former England midfielder Andros Townsend on Dazn.

“Full credit to Chelsea for their willingness to track the ball in this New York heat.”

As fellow pundit Gareth Bale put it: “PSG have been PSG’d.”

As has often been the case over the past two years, Palmer playing well meant Chelsea played well.

The 23-year-old has operated predominantly down the middle as a conventional number 10 for much of this season, but at times he struggled in that position. At one point he went 18 games without scoring and recently admitted he had endured a “difficult time these past whatever months on and off the pitch”.

However, having been moved back out to the right during this tournament – a position he made his own under previous boss Mauricio Pochettino – he has looked somewhere near his best again.

Chelsea had clearly prioritised a fast start in the final, with Maresca saying he thought they “won the game in the first 10 minutes”, with their aggressive approach and high press putting their opponents under unfamiliar stress.

Once Chelsea had asserted their authority, it was then obvious they were keen to target PSG’s left-hand side, as Joao Pedro frequently drifted out wide to pair up with Palmer.

Their method was often direct, with passes dropped in behind the PSG defence, but it meant left-back Nuno Mendes was given a torrid time.

“We had a lot of success exploring the left side of their defence,” said Maresca. “Things worked perfectly for us due to the effort the players put.”

Townsend described it as a “tactical masterclass”.

There has been much debate about how much this newly expanded competition means.

But the trophy does mean you can call yourself world champions – until the next competition is played, scheduled for 2029. And Chelsea will be able to wear a badge on their kit to reiterate it.

It’s also been worth between £80m and £90m in prize money.

“The fans will have bragging rights for the next four years,” said Townsend.

“Nobody will be able to say anything to Chelsea fans because they are world champions – not for one year but for four years until 2029. Wow, what an achievement.”

And there was no doubting how much it meant to the players and staff, who celebrated it as enthusiastically as they would have a Champions League or Premier League trophy.

Their players clashed with PSG’s team on the pitch afterwards, with the French champions visibly upset with the defeat – with Blues boss Maresca acting as peacekeeper.

“I feel that this competition will be as important as or even more important than the Champions League,” said Maresca.

“I was lucky enough to be part of a coaching staff [at Manchester City] that won the Champions League three years ago, but this competition features the best clubs in the world. That’s why we value it as much as the Champions League, or perhaps even more.

“For us, it was a great triumph. Allowing Chelsea fans to wear that world champion patch on their shirts is a source of pride for us.”

Many have laughed at Chelsea’s recruitment under Todd Boehly. They have spent somewhere in the region of £1.5bn on players since his takeover in 2022 – and handed out a host of contracts lasting seven, eight and nine years.

Eighteen months ago Gary Neville called them “billion-pound bottle-jobs” after they lost the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool.

But after the Conference League and Club World Cup trophies this year they are actually looking good. They had the youngest squad of any team at the Club World Cup, with no player older than 27. So they should only get better.

So could they think of challenging for the Premier League title now?

Wales legend Gareth Bale, watching for Dazn, said: “I don’t think they’re far off at all. Last season before Christmas everyone was talking about them as contenders.

BBC Sport reporter Nizaar Kinsella, who was watching at the MetLife Stadium, said: “Chelsea are firmly behind Maresca and there is a sense of stability about the club for the first time since the UK government placed sanctions on Roman Abramovich after the war in Ukraine started in March 2022.

“This is a new club – but one capable of winning again – and those involved want recognition for their achievements.

“Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez should be considered among the best midfielders in the world. Marc Cucurella is arguably the best left-back in the Premier League and potentially in the world.

“There is promising talent coming through like Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto and newer players like Andrey Santos.

“Joao Pedro has three goals in three Club World Cup matches and was crucial to Chelsea’s tournament success, while fellow striker signing Liam Delap has looked lively in the United States.

England booked their place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2025 in style with a thumping victory over Wales – so are they ready to take the next step?

They showed why they mean business in Switzerland, beating Wales 6-1 after a crucial 4-0 win over the Netherlands.

It has not been all smooth sailing – their 2-1 loss to France in the opening match put them on the back foot – but England are building momentum.

The group stages showed the best and the worst of England as France exploited their defensive frailties and kicked them into gear for the remaining two matches.

Bruised by their opening defeat, the Lionesses vowed to do their talking on the pitch – and they did.

Emphatic victories against the Netherlands and Wales followed as they finished runners-up in the group, avoiding a heavyweight quarter-final tie with Germany in the process, and a potential meeting with world champions Spain or hosts Switzerland in the semi-finals.

Where they finished in the group did not concern manager Sarina Wiegman – outwardly at least – but she was pleased with the “urgency” that the France loss gave them.

“That really brought us together and everyone really wanted to perform and be successful,” she said.

“In the Netherlands game, we really created urgency and momentum by playing really well and to our strengths.

“With that loss, the urgency came and I think the team really responded well. Now hopefully we can show that again against Sweden.”

England were dominant in their wins over the Netherlands and Wales, scoring 10 goals in the process, and displaying some of their best free-flowing football.

Lauren James stood out with her individual quality, Ella Toone proved her worth in the starting XI and Alessia Russo was the glue up top.

“It doesn’t seem it at the time but [losing to France] was probably the best thing that could have happened to us as a team and it motivated us,” said England forward Beth Mead.

“We had hard conversations, we figured things out. You don’t win or lose a tournament in the first game.

“Now we are in a position where we are building quite nicely.”

Midfielder Keira Walsh said their “slow start” may have “kicked them into gear” but they found confidence and bravery that had been lacking in Zurich.

It would have been a huge disappointment had England failed to qualify for the knockout stages but having progressed from the toughest group in the tournament, Georgia Stanway said it was something worth celebrating.

There is plenty for Wiegman to think about going into the quarter-finals.

She was criticised for her set-up in the opening defeat, when James started in the number 10 role and England’s midfield was carved apart.

Jess Carter was heavily tested at left-back and Stanway struggled to have an impact on the ball in midfield.

But she reacted and got it spot on against the Dutch, moving James out wide, bringing Toone into the starting XI and swapping Alex Greenwood and Carter’s positions in the back four.

It was so successful that she named the same starting XI against Wales.

Asked what the key to England’s midfield evolution was, Walsh said: “I think massive credit to Ella Toone. She’s come in and done an incredible job.

“People speak about her offensively, but the defensive work she does for me and Georgia [Stanway] when she’s in there is incredible.

“She covers a lot of spaces that we can’t. That’s probably been the main thing that’s stopped other teams from playing as well.”

Whether Wiegman sticks or twists again is yet to be seen but clearly she has found a winning formula, and she is a manager who likes continuity, having won Euro 2022 with the same starting line-up for all six matches.

Sweden have started strongly in Switzerland, producing the goods in a thrilling 4-1 victory over Germany on Saturday to go through as Group C winners, picking up nine points from their three matches.

They are no strangers to England having faced each other in the semi-finals of Euro 2022 – the Lionesses won 4-0 in emphatic style.

They also met in Euro 2025 qualifying with Sweden holding England to a frustrating 1-1 draw at Wembley in April 2024, followed by a goalless draw three months later.

Both nations have now progressed from the group stages in their last six major tournaments, so this is familiar territory.

“We watched their game [against Germany]. It was a very interesting game,” said Mead.

“They pose a very different threat and it’s a team we have played a lot in the past. Hopefully we can nullify what they are good at and bring our strengths.”

The United States manager Emma Hayes told ITV that if England were not set-up properly, Sweden will “cause them a lot of problems”.

With Chelsea’s Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Arsenal’s Stina Blackstenius and Fridolina Rolfo – who recently left Barcelona – among Sweden’s ranks, England know they face a strong counter-attacking team.

Walsh says they are also a “really physical” team who have been ruthless in their three matches so far.

Former England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley is also aware of the threats that the Lionesses’ next opponents will offer.

“Sweden have got quick wingers, a really talented, experienced midfield and threats in-behind,” she told BBC Radio 5 Live. “They are several things that England have struggled with.”

But while Sweden are full of confidence, England have built their own momentum and Bardsley is confident they can progress.

England booked their place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2025 in style with a thumping victory over Wales – so are they ready to take the next step?

They showed why they mean business in Switzerland, beating Wales 6-1 after a crucial 4-0 win over the Netherlands.

It has not been all smooth sailing – their 2-1 loss to France in the opening match put them on the back foot – but England are building momentum.

The group stages showed the best and the worst of England as France exploited their defensive frailties and kicked them into gear for the remaining two matches.

Bruised by their opening defeat, the Lionesses vowed to do their talking on the pitch – and they did.

Emphatic victories against the Netherlands and Wales followed as they finished runners-up in the group, avoiding a heavyweight quarter-final tie with Germany in the process, and a potential meeting with world champions Spain or hosts Switzerland in the semi-finals.

Where they finished in the group did not concern manager Sarina Wiegman – outwardly at least – but she was pleased with the “urgency” that the France loss gave them.

“That really brought us together and everyone really wanted to perform and be successful,” she said.

“In the Netherlands game, we really created urgency and momentum by playing really well and to our strengths.

“With that loss, the urgency came and I think the team really responded well. Now hopefully we can show that again against Sweden.”

England were dominant in their wins over the Netherlands and Wales, scoring 10 goals in the process, and displaying some of their best free-flowing football.

Lauren James stood out with her individual quality, Ella Toone proved her worth in the starting XI and Alessia Russo was the glue up top.

“It doesn’t seem it at the time but [losing to France] was probably the best thing that could have happened to us as a team and it motivated us,” said England forward Beth Mead.

“We had hard conversations, we figured things out. You don’t win or lose a tournament in the first game.

“Now we are in a position where we are building quite nicely.”

Midfielder Keira Walsh said their “slow start” may have “kicked them into gear” but they found confidence and bravery that had been lacking in Zurich.

It would have been a huge disappointment had England failed to qualify for the knockout stages but having progressed from the toughest group in the tournament, Georgia Stanway said it was something worth celebrating.

There is plenty for Wiegman to think about going into the quarter-finals.

She was criticised for her set-up in the opening defeat, when James started in the number 10 role and England’s midfield was carved apart.

Jess Carter was heavily tested at left-back and Stanway struggled to have an impact on the ball in midfield.

But she reacted and got it spot on against the Dutch, moving James out wide, bringing Toone into the starting XI and swapping Alex Greenwood and Carter’s positions in the back four.

It was so successful that she named the same starting XI against Wales.

Asked what the key to England’s midfield evolution was, Walsh said: “I think massive credit to Ella Toone. She’s come in and done an incredible job.

“People speak about her offensively, but the defensive work she does for me and Georgia [Stanway] when she’s in there is incredible.

“She covers a lot of spaces that we can’t. That’s probably been the main thing that’s stopped other teams from playing as well.”

Whether Wiegman sticks or twists again is yet to be seen but clearly she has found a winning formula, and she is a manager who likes continuity, having won Euro 2022 with the same starting line-up for all six matches.

Sweden have started strongly in Switzerland, producing the goods in a thrilling 4-1 victory over Germany on Saturday to go through as Group C winners, picking up nine points from their three matches.

They are no strangers to England having faced each other in the semi-finals of Euro 2022 – the Lionesses won 4-0 in emphatic style.

They also met in Euro 2025 qualifying with Sweden holding England to a frustrating 1-1 draw at Wembley in April 2024, followed by a goalless draw three months later.

Both nations have now progressed from the group stages in their last six major tournaments, so this is familiar territory.

“We watched their game [against Germany]. It was a very interesting game,” said Mead.

“They pose a very different threat and it’s a team we have played a lot in the past. Hopefully we can nullify what they are good at and bring our strengths.”

The United States manager Emma Hayes told ITV that if England were not set-up properly, Sweden will “cause them a lot of problems”.

With Chelsea’s Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Arsenal’s Stina Blackstenius and Fridolina Rolfo – who recently left Barcelona – among Sweden’s ranks, England know they face a strong counter-attacking team.

Walsh says they are also a “really physical” team who have been ruthless in their three matches so far.

Former England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley is also aware of the threats that the Lionesses’ next opponents will offer.

“Sweden have got quick wingers, a really talented, experienced midfield and threats in-behind,” she told BBC Radio 5 Live. “They are several things that England have struggled with.”

But while Sweden are full of confidence, England have built their own momentum and Bardsley is confident they can progress.

It was more like the build-up to the Super Bowl than a football match between two of Europe’s biggest clubs.

The countdown to Sunday’s Club World Cup final between Chelsea and European champions Paris St-Germain was colourful, captivating and possibly a little confusing for football fans outside the USA.

A military colour guard, a dramatic flyover and a performance from Robbie Williams – all in front of US president Donald Trump – were just some of the pre-match highlights at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

There was so much going on, in fact, that the game itself only got under way at 20:08 BST – eight minutes after its scheduled kick-off time.

On the pitch, Chelsea produced a stunning performance to beat PSG 3-0 and upset the odds.

Officially, Sunday’s pre-match action was divided into three parts.

After the ‘countdown to the final’ – featuring, among other things, a drumming display and a huge inflatable model of the Club World Cup trophy – Williams and pop star Laura Pausini performed Fifa’s new official anthem, Desire.

This was followed by a tribute to the tournament hosts, including the US national anthem, a colour guard, a military flyover and a dazzling firework display.

When the two sets of players had finally entered the pitch, American ring announcer Michael Buffer delivered his iconic “let’s get ready to rumble!” line before kick-off – as has been the case throughout the competition.

There was also a red carpet for celebrities, ex-players and politicians to enter the MetLife Stadium before the match, with notable attendees including American film director Spike Lee, former Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and pop star Rita Ora – as well as Trump.

Fifa’s first-ever half-time show included colourful performances from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and fellow singers J Balvin, Doja Cat and Tems – all on an enormous, high-tech stage that was built above the arena in the build-up to the final before being placed at the top of the stadium’s upper tier, just under the roof.

This was to avoid damaging the pitch at the interval of such an important game.

It took six semi-trucks to delivery all the required material, including 40,000 pounds of gear, scenery and structural trusses.

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the show delayed the kick-off to the second half. PSG’s players stood around on the pitch while the show reached its conclusion, while Chelsea’s only re-emerged a few minutes later.

The action eventually got back under way 24 minutes after the half-time whistle had sounded – but not before Trump had had his say.

When he wasn’t being asked to share his thoughts on the beautiful game, Trump watched the action up in the stands alongside Fifa supremo Gianni Infantino.

Given that the final was played a year to the day since the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania, the heightened security at MetLife Stadium came as no surprise.

The United States Secret Service were armed and on location, with several snipers positioned on the roof of the MetLife Stadium.

Official sources were reluctant to confirm rumours that Trump was being prepared for an interview with DAZN, which was teased briefly at half-time and shown in full after full-time.

BBC Sport’s Nizaar Kinsella said before kick-off: “It took twice as long for me to reach my position in the stadium with increased filtering and checks.

The post-match action began in lively fashion as both sets of players became involved in a brawl after the final whistle, but once tempers had calmed, it was time for Messrs Trump and Infantino to hand out some awards.

Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia collected the top scorer prize, PSG’s Desire Doue was named young player of the tournament, Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez picked up the golden glove award, while Cole Palmer – the Blues’ two-goal hero in the final – was named the player of the tournament.

After the two sets of players had collected their medals, Trump and Infantino presented the Club World Cup trophy to Chelsea captain Reece James.

According to Fifa, the Club World Cup trophy is inspired by the periodic table and historic golden records sent into space aboard the Voyager probes.

It can also be ‘opened’ with a special key, which only Infantino is permitted to use.

Perhaps to the relief of captain James and his team-mates, the trophy was already in its ‘open’ position when it was handed to the Blues’ skipper.