By RONALD BLUM AP Sports Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Cole Palmer was jumping up and down behind Reece James as the Chelsea captain received the trophy for the Club World Cup, U.S. President Donald Trump to his left, standing between the midfielder and goalkeeper Robert Sánchez.
“I knew he was going to be here, but I didn’t know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy, so I was a bit confused,” Palmer said.
Palmer received the Golden Ball as top player of the tournament after scoring the first two goals in Chelsea’s 3-0 smothering of Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday night. Trump — wearing a bright red tie — appeared to leave the award stand with a medal of his own, handed to him by FIFA President Gianni Infantino right after the medallion presented to James.
At 23, Palmer was selected player of the match for Chelsea’s second straight final. A rising English star, he assisted twice in a 4-1 win over Real Betis on May 28 that won the Europa Conference League. He also scored the Blues’ first goal in the 2-1 quarterfinal Club World Cup win over Palmeiras and had England’s goal in its 2024 European Championship final defeat to Spain.
He had his name up in the bright lights this weekend. He posed for a photo in front of a huge video board of his image in a Nike ad emblazoned with the words: “Scary Good.” It was part of a campaign that also features Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Vinícius Júnior.
“I’ve seen the billboards in Times Square and outside of Madison Square Garden,” Palmer said. “It’s a nice feeling to be obviously alongside them type of players.”
Palmer had almost identical left-footed goals from just inside the penalty area in the 22nd and 30th minutes, then sent a through pass that enabled João Pedro to chip goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 43rd for his third goal in two starts with the Blues.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who wanted to exploit space on PSG’s left flank, told his players he wanted them to attack from the opening whistle.
“I think we won the game in the first 10 minutes and the message before the game was let them understand that we are here to win the game,” Maresca said. “Probably set a little bit the tone of the game.”
Chelsea went ahead after Sánchez kicked the ball downfield and Nuno Mendes mis-hit his header 15 yards past the midfield stripe toward his own goal. Malo Gusto’s shot was blocked by Lucas Beraldo and rebounded to Palmer, who ended PSG’s streak of 436 minutes without conceding.
“These are the games where we expect Cole to appear because they are big games, big moments,” Maresca said.
Palmer doubled the lead in the 30th when he ran onto a long ball from Levi Colwill and cut inside before shooting for his 18th goal of the season.
“It’s a great feeling. Even better because obviously everyone doubted us before the game,” Palmer said. “The gaffer put a great gameplan out, and obviously, he knew where the space was going to be.”
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