Chelsea

In one of the stranger moments of the Club World Cup final, Chelsea captain Reece James has been explaining how US president Donald Trump ended up in the trophy lift celebrations.

Trump had been at the match alongside Fifa president Gianni Infantino and was part of the trophy presentation ceremony at the end.

While many expected 79-year-old to leave the stage after handing over the trophy to the Blues captain, he initially stayed as James lifted the piece of silverware.

When asked about the situation after the match, James said: "I think the first thing I have to say is that it probably highlights how big the tournament is.

"The coverage for the tournament and the final was huge.

"Answering your question, before, they told me that he was going to present the trophy and then exit the stage, and I thought that he was going to exit the stage, but he wanted to stay."

Chelsea had been labelled underdogs for the final against reigning European champions Paris St-Germain, but shook off the tag to stun the French side 3-0.

James feels this is a "statement" victory that can give them a platform to build from going into the new season.

"I think for sure we are moving in the right direction, you know, winning this trophy against such good opposition," he added.

"It's a big statement. I'm happy with how much the club has progressed and how next season we're competing in the Premier League, to win the title and compete and to go far in the Champions League as well."

BBC Sport football reporter Nizaar Kinsella has followed Chelsea at the Club World Cup in the USA and has great insight into what the future holds at Stamford Bridge.

So ask him your questions and he'll answer them on this page throughout Tuesday.

Send your questions here

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea came through the heat, the cooling breaks, the PSG fury and the glitz of half-time concerts to lift the Club World Cup.

There were iconic images with President Trump that will undoubtedly circulate in prolific manner and, in addition to an eye-catching trophy, the Blues will return from the USA with their pockets full.

Enzo Maresca's side earned around £84m from the tournament, built from a £21.3m participation fee and £62.7m in prize money. That was the biggest haul of all the sides in the competition and over double the £37.8m earned by Manchester City.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Cole Palmer is literally and figuratively Chelsea's poster boy, and he will take all the headlines from this final.

In New York's Times Square, there are giant billboards featuring the 23-year-old's image and he recreated the famous lunch-atop-a-skyscraper photo for Fifa with Ballon d'Or-tipped Dembele before kick-off.

His fame could reach another level now and he has become the face of a resurgent Chelsea, the Club World Cup following the Conference League triumph in May to show the investment made by the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital regime can lead to glory.

Every Chelsea player can walk off that pitch with pride. There were impressive performances from the exceptional Robert Sanchez and Malo Gusto, who have faced much criticism in recent months.

Winger Pedro Neto showed impressive work-rate to nullify one of the world's best full-backs in Achraf Hakimi and Joao Pedro scored his third goal in three games since joining the Blues during the tournament.

The Chelsea players have earned their holidays, with pre-season to be cut short.

Boss Enzo Maresca says his players will receive three weeks of holiday before they face Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan at Stamford Bridge in a mini-tournament on 8 and 10 August, with their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on 17 August.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and midfielder Cole Palmer had more trophies to pick up following the Blues' win in the Club World Cup final over Paris St-Germain.

Sanchez was awarded the Golden Glove, which is given to the goalkeeper judged to be the best over the course of the tournament.

Meanwhile, Palmer, who scored two goals and set up another in the final in New Jersey, was named the best player of the competition .

Image source, Getty Images

Pundits have been reacting on Dazn to Chelsea's 3-0 win over Paris St-Germain to secure the Club World Cup.

Antalyaspor and former Premier League midfielder Andros Townsend: "PSG have been PSG'd this afternoon.

"Paris St-Germain aren't used to losing football matches. They were 90 minutes away from the perfect season but full credit to Enzo Maresca - it was a tactical masterclass."

Ex-Tottenham and Wales forward Gareth Bale: "I don't think they are far away at all [from challenging for the Premier League title].

"Last season they got to around Christmas and everyone was talking about them being contenders. Obviously they are a young team and they kind of fell off but I think they will learn a lot from that.

"They have shown character as a team to come back and win the Conference League and now win this. I think confidence will be booming and they will have that self belief now."

It was a right-back as captain who lifted the 2021 Club World Cup trophy...

Image source, Getty Images

And it is a right-back as captain who lifts the trophy in 2025!

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, speaking to Dazn: "I have no words for the players. They all deserve this and it's a good moment."

On how they beat PSG: "For me, we won the game in the first 10 minutes. We set the tempo and we were very good at pressing them. The conditions made it hard to keep going but the boys did well."

On Cole Palmer: "Today we found a position for him where there was more space to attack. Obviously Cole played really well but the effort from all the players was fantastic."

On the future for Chelsea: "Of course I am very excited [about the future] but I'm more excited that we have three weeks off."

How do you feel about the win? Send us your thoughts

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer, speaking to Dazn: "It's a great feeling. Even better because everyone doubted us before the game, we knew that. To put a fight on like we did, it's good."

On his performances in big games: "I like finals. It's happened again."

On both his goals coming from the right: "The gaffer put a great gameplan out. He knew where the space was going to be. He tried to free me up as much as possible and I just had to repay him and score some goals."

On manager Enzo Maresca: "He is building something special, something important. Everyone has talked a lot of [stuff] about us all season but I feel like we are going in the right direction."

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea are the fifth team, and first from England, to win multiple Fifa Club World Cup titles, joining Real Madrid (six), Barcelona (three), Bayern Munich (two) and Corinthians (two).

The Blues have also won a final by a three-goal margin for the fourth time - doing so in the 1955 Community Shield (3-0 v Newcastle United), 2019 Europa League (4-1 v Arsenal) and the 2025 Conference League (4-1 v Real Betis).

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea are the Club World Cup champions!

The Blues beat Paris St-Germain 3-0 in New Jersey thanks to goals from Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro to secure their second piece of silverware this season following their Conference League triumph in May.

They are the first team to win the trophy in this new format and become world champions for the second time having previously been victorious in the 2021 edition.

How do you feel about the performance and the latest piece of silverware? Send us your thoughts

Less than an hour to go before Chelsea kick-off against Paris Saint-Germain in the Fifa Club World Cup final.

We asked you to share your plans for the game, whether it be soaking up the sunshine at home, in New Jersey itself, or anywhere else in the world.

Here are some of your comments:

Derek: Looking forward to watching the match with the Mrs at home on my 65th birthday. Perfect birthday present if the lads lift the trophy. Come on Chelsea!

Mark: Hopefully find a sports bar in Huercal-Overa, Southern Spain, as we're over here on holiday. It's a pity Real Madrid never won... that would have been interesting!

Joe: I'm working until 10 tonight, so I'm asking my wife to pause it and I'm muting all WhatsApp chats, briefly deleting the BBC Sports app, and avoiding communication with any humans.

Ken: I'll be on the couch with my dad with some snacks. Not too much confidence in beating PSG but we always bring something to big games. Come on you Blues!

Jake: I'm living in Sydney so I will be setting the alarm for 4:50am, which is an earlier start than normal for work!

Richard: As a Chelsea season ticket holder, I'll be on the sofa watching through my fingers and praying that it's not a complete embarrassment.

Image source, Getty Images

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Star midfielder Moises Caicedo is fit to face Paris Saint-Germain but there will be questions on how long he can last after twisting his ankle in the semi-final.

Fellow midfielder Romeo Lavia is fit enough for the bench as Joao Pedro is preferred to either Nicolas Jackson or Liam Delap up front.

Paris St-Germain remain unchanged after a 4-0 semi-final win over Real Madrid.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, James; Neto, Fernandez, Palmer; Joao Pedro.

Subs: Jorgensen, Penders, Slonina, Sarr, Anselmino, Adarabioyo, Acheampong, Dewsbury-Hall, Andrey Santos, Lavia, Guiu, Nkunku, George, Jackson, Delap.

PSG XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Beraldo, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Neves, Ruiz; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia.

Subs: Sofonov, Tenas, Kimbepmbe, Kamara, Zaire-Emery, Lee, Gabriel Moscardo, Mayulu, Mbaye, Barcola, Goncalo Ramos.

Chelsea are in touching distance of the Club World Cup trophy, but to get their hands on it, they will have to beat Paris Saint-Germain.

How are you taking in the final this evening?

Perhaps you've made the journey out to New Jersey to watch the Blues, or you're having a BBQ with family and friends at home ...

Wherever you are, send us your pictures and plans over here!

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter in New York

Image source, Getty Images

Marc Cucurella has gone from being booed by his own fans to being booed by those of other Premier League teams.

The 26-year-old has won over most Chelsea supporters, but it hasn't been easy for a player who suffered injury and had off-field issues after moving from Brighton to Stamford Bridge for £62m three years ago.

When asked about his journey from unpopular signing to fan favourite, Cucurella said: "It is very good because when I arrived at this club it was difficult and in the beginning we had a lot of changes. The results were difficult.

"I'm not a player that has the quality to take the ball and change the game in one action and go past three players. I'm more of a player that needs to have the team playing well to show my qualities.

"So at the beginning it was very tough because the team didn't have maybe identity or didn't have a clear way to play. I struggled a little and then I understood that the club paid a lot of money for me so they expect that I'm a machine and I score every game!

"The first games [at Chelsea] I don't feel like I enjoyed. When I win, it's very important, but when you join here, it's like, 'you win, OK, it's your job' and you don't celebrate - but that's because I had played for smaller clubs."

Cucurella revealed more about his family life in Prime Video docuseries Married to the Game. In one scene, the Spain international is moved to tears, seated alongside his partner Claudia, while detailing how dealing with his son Mateo's autism was initially challenging before his family began to thrive again.

"All the people think that you have a perfect life, but we footballers have normal lives and normal problems that all people have," he said.

Of the show, he added: "Personally, I didn't expect that people would love it in this way.

"I was not nervous but, if things don't go well, people might say, 'He's not focused on football, he's focused on filming this and that'. But it was nice."

Cucurella is over his struggles now. He says an injury in December 2023 helped him take stock, adding: "I started to enjoy my journey here after my injury. When I was injured, I was three months out, and then I had a lot of time to think about myself and to know me better and what is good for me and what I needed to work on more. This is probably the moment that changed my career.

"I won the last six games with Chelsea [under Mauricio Pochettino], won the Euros and now I am playing my best football."

He will hope his form continues when Chelsea face Paris St-Germain in the Club World Cup final in New Jersey on Sunday (20:00 BST).

"If we do it, it's amazing because it's the first club to do it," he said.

"We will get to wear a world champion badge on our shirt for four years and all people will remember us as the first club to win the trophy [in its new format]."

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter in New Jersey

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was so relaxed at the end of his press conference before the Club World Cup final that he ended it by speaking French.

Already fluent in English, Spanish and - of course - his first language Italian, he tried to talk French.

It was near perfect from Maresca but he ended his sentence laughing and speaking English.

It was a confident performance in front of the world's media where he was also asked about the sale of Noni Madueke's departure to Arsenal, Moises Caicedo's fitness and the quality of PSG, who he labelled the "best in the world."

The mood in the camp looks genuinely positive as Maresca has afforded players time off in the knowledge that they have extended their season due to this newly expanded summer tournament.

That extends to directors who feel that this campaign is beginning to show the world that Chelsea should be regarded as smartly run - for all their innovations on extended long contracts - now the younger players are settling in.

This game is now receiving global media attention now in New York and New Jersey with 100s of media in attendance.

That will, of course, not mean anything when the match kicks off and everyone at Chelsea faces a challenge against a team that has destroyed both Real Madrid and Inter Milan in recent months.

Enzo Maresca has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Club World Cup final against Paris St-Germain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Maresca confirmed Noni Madueke will leave the camp to finalise his expected move to Arsenal: "Noni is in contact with the new club and I guess he is going to be [announced] in the next hours."

• On the circumstances surrounding the winger's departure, he added: "I said in one of the last press conferences if a player wants to leave then in the end it is difficult for the club and manager. Noni decided to leave - no-one said to Noni he has to leave. If he is happy, we are happy."

• Maresca provided an update on Moises Caicedo's fitness, after the midfielder limped off late on in the semi-final win over Fluminense: "Yes, for sure Moises is such an important player for us. This morning, he couldn't take part in the training session fully but we hope he can take part on Sunday."

• On the hot conditions in the USA: "We already arrived in the US one month ago. We are used to playing in this conditions. It will be [the same] for both teams."

• On whether PSG are unplayable: "I agree with most people who say they are the best team in Europe and the world. The reason why is they are showing this. We have maximum respect for them. I really enjoy watching them but we are here to do our best and win the final."

• On Luis Enrique's style of play: "Luis Enrique is a reference not only for me but for all of the people who love football. At the same time, [for our style], I think we have shown this season how we want to do things on and off the ball."

• Maresca is happy with new signing Joao Pedro's impact so far but did not confirm whether he will start the final: "Joao is a very good player. The reason why we bought him is we think he is going to help us, especially against teams who defend deep. He is great in small spaces. We now have 48 hours before the final. We are lucky we can choose different options. We will see [if he will start]."