{"id":16886,"date":"2026-07-13T12:21:53","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T12:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=16886"},"modified":"2026-07-13T12:21:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T12:21:53","slug":"how-chelsea-has-changed-since-winning-the-club-world-cup-read-chelsea-f-c","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=16886","title":{"rendered":"How Chelsea has changed since winning the Club World Cup &#8211; Read Chelsea F.C."},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One year ago, Chelsea produced a performance which appeared to settle every argument about the club\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paris Saint-Germain arrived at the Club World Cup final as European champions and strong favourites. They left MetLife Stadium beaten 3-0 by a younger, sharper and tactically superior Chelsea side.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cole Palmer scored twice and created the third for Jo\u00e3o Pedro. Enzo Maresca\u2019s pressing plan overwhelmed PSG, while Chelsea became the first winners of FIFA\u2019s expanded 32-team tournament.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea had completed their international trophy collection. A young squad had beaten one of Europe\u2019s strongest teams on the biggest stage available that summer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project finally appeared to have proof.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Twelve months later, Maresca is gone, Chelsea are outside European competition and Xabi Alonso has begun another rebuild at Cobham.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Club World Cup trophy remains. Almost everything around it has changed.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\"\/>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The night Chelsea\u2019s project appeared complete<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea did not simply survive PSG in New Jersey. They controlled the decisive moments of the final.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maresca\u2019s side pressed aggressively, attacked the space behind Nuno Mendes and repeatedly found Palmer between the left side of PSG\u2019s defence and midfield.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The opening goal arrived after 22 minutes. Palmer doubled the lead eight minutes later before releasing Jo\u00e3o Pedro to make it 3-0 before half-time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PSG had dominated much of the previous European season. Chelsea made them look disjointed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The performance carried several messages at once.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Palmer had become a global star. Jo\u00e3o Pedro looked immediately at home following his move from Brighton. Mois\u00e9s Caicedo and Enzo Fern\u00e1ndez offered the balance Chelsea had spent heavily trying to create.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reece James lifted another major trophy as captain. Malo Gusto, Marc Cucurella and Levi Colwill appeared to give the defence a clear future.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Above all, Maresca seemed to have found the structure needed to turn Chelsea\u2019s collection of talent into a functioning team.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The victory followed Champions League qualification and success in the Conference League. Chelsea appeared to be moving upwards with a coach, squad and recruitment model working in the same direction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The celebration at MetLife Stadium looked like the beginning.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In reality, it was the peak.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maresca\u2019s exit shattered the idea of continuity<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most significant change came on New Year\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udea8\ud83d\udca3 BREAKING: Chelsea and Enzo Maresca agree to part company with immediate effect. It\u2019s OVER.<\/p>\n<p>Official statement to follow but all done after tension growing last 24\/48h.<\/p>\n<p>Chelsea will now start working on new manager appointment. \ud83d\udd35\ud83d\udd1c <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dgj3bjxlNe\">pic.twitter.com\/dgj3bjxlNe<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 1, 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maresca left Chelsea midway through the following season after the relationship between the head coach and club hierarchy broke down.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea later described the 2025\/26 campaign as \u201chugely disappointing\u201d and said the abrupt coaching change had caused major disruption.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The club\u2019s\u00a0June statement explaining Maresca\u2019s departure\u00a0made the depth of the breakdown clear. Chelsea said they felt let down and believed their head coach\u2019s focus had moved elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whatever the rights and wrongs of that dispute, the consequences were severe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A team built around Maresca\u2019s positional structure suddenly lost its architect. Liam Rosenior arrived from Strasbourg in January but lasted little more than three months.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea then finished the season under another interim arrangement before Alonso officially began work on 1 July.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The contrast with New Jersey could hardly be sharper.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea had looked like a club with a settled football identity in the Club World Cup final. Six months later, the coach responsible for it was gone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ReadChelsea examined how\u00a0Alonso inherited a job already disrupted by the World Cup calendar and another managerial reset.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The challenge is not simply creating a new system. Alonso must restore trust in the idea that Chelsea can sustain one.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The world champions failed to build on their authority<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Winning the Club World Cup should have given Chelsea greater certainty.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The final provided a clear picture of what worked: aggressive pressing, Palmer operating in central areas, midfield control through Caicedo and Fern\u00e1ndez, and a defensive structure capable of protecting possession.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, the following season became another period of instability.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea finished outside the European places after changing head coach twice. The team which had beaten PSG no longer carried the same authority.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some decline was predictable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Club World Cup extended Chelsea\u2019s 2024\/25 campaign deep into July. Players had little time to recover before preparing for another demanding domestic and European season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The emotional cost may also have been underestimated. Chelsea went from the biggest match of their summer directly into a compressed recovery period.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, fatigue alone cannot explain what followed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The coaching upheaval removed continuity. Injuries again affected key players. A large squad created selection and development problems, while the transfer strategy continued to produce constant movement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea\u2019s success in New Jersey proved the squad could reach an elite level. The next season showed how difficult it was to remain there.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The squad Alonso inherits already looks different<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea\u2019s recruitment has continued despite the managerial changes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Geovany Quenda has now arrived from Sporting, while Marco Palestra has joined from Atalanta. Emmanuel Emegha and other young players have also entered the senior picture.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udea8\ud83d\udd35 Official: Geovany Quenda has now been announced as new signing by Chelsea.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am excited to work with my team mates and the manager Xabi Alonso. I\u2019m very hard working young person and I like to help my team\u201d, Quenda says. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/NesnCsP3zc\">pic.twitter.com\/NesnCsP3zc<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 8, 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, Tyrique George has completed a permanent move to Everton. Jesse Derry has signed a new contract before leaving for Sporting on loan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea\u2019s\u00a0official summer transfer tracker\u00a0shows how quickly the squad continues to move.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ReadChelsea has also tracked\u00a0every confirmed arrival, departure and new contract during Alonso\u2019s first summer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The turnover creates opportunity but also raises a familiar issue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea keep recruiting for the future while asking a new manager to produce results immediately.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alonso has inherited a squad containing several players who featured in the Club World Cup triumph. Palmer, Caicedo, Fern\u00e1ndez, James, Cucurella and Jo\u00e3o Pedro remain capable of forming the core of a strong side.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, their roles may change.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alonso\u2019s football depends on control, intelligent positioning and defenders comfortable operating in different zones. His arrival could suit James and Fern\u00e1ndez, while creating new demands for Chelsea\u2019s wide players and centre-backs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The quality is present. Chelsea must stop treating every summer as another reason to start again.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Palmer remains the clearest link to New Jersey<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No player represents the Club World Cup triumph more clearly than Palmer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He did not merely score twice in the final. He decided the game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Palmer repeatedly found the same pocket of space, punished PSG with almost identical finishes and then created Jo\u00e3o Pedro\u2019s goal with a perfectly weighted pass.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was a performance associated with Chelsea\u2019s greatest individual displays in major finals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One year later, Palmer remains central to the club\u2019s future.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Managers have changed and the squad continues to evolve, but Chelsea\u2019s attack still needs to be built around his decision-making.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alonso must find a structure which gives Palmer freedom without leaving the rest of the team unbalanced.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same applies to Fern\u00e1ndez.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Argentina midfielder ended the Club World Cup as an important part of Maresca\u2019s midfield, but questions over his long-term future have continued.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ReadChelsea has explored how\u00a0Alonso needs clarity around Fern\u00e1ndez before reshaping Chelsea\u2019s midfield.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keeping the strongest parts of the world champion side should be the foundation of the rebuild. Chelsea do not need to erase everything Maresca created simply because the relationship ended badly.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Alonso is being asked to recover the feeling<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alonso\u2019s first interview as Chelsea manager repeatedly returned to culture, connection and collective responsibility.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He spoke about giving the club \u201csoul\u201d and making the team more important than any individual.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those words fit the problems exposed since the Club World Cup final.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea have rarely lacked talent. Their difficulty has been turning short bursts of progress into something stable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alonso also wants to rebuild the connection with Stamford Bridge. The Club World Cup final showed how convincing Chelsea can look when every part of the team follows the same plan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His job is to make that level feel repeatable rather than exceptional.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The calendar offers little room for a gentle introduction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea begin the Premier League season at Fulham before hosting Brighton and travelling to Arsenal. Several senior players will return late after the international World Cup.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ReadChelsea has detailed how\u00a0the opening fixtures give Alonso an immediate deadline.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supporters will not demand another global trophy in his first months. They will expect signs of a coherent team.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The trophy looks different one year later<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea\u2019s Club World Cup victory has not lost its value.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The opposition were elite, the performance was outstanding and the trophy belongs permanently in the club\u2019s history.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, its meaning has changed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 13 July 2025, the win looked like confirmation that Chelsea\u2019s long rebuild had reached its destination.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 13 July 2026, it looks more like evidence of what the squad was capable of before internal instability dragged the club backwards.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That difference should sharpen the focus around Alonso.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He is not inheriting a hopeless group. He is taking control of players who have already shown they can overwhelm the European champions in a major final.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea\u2019s failure was not reaching that level. It was failing to protect it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One year ago, Palmer stood at MetLife Stadium with the Golden Ball after leading Chelsea to the top of the world.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, another manager is trying to rebuild the culture, structure and belief which made that night possible.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next phase should not be about recreating one perfect final.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It should be about ensuring Chelsea\u2019s greatest performances no longer feel like isolated moments between resets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One year ago, Chelsea produced a performance which appeared to settle every argument about the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16887,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16886","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16886","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16886"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16886\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16887"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16886"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16886"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16886"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}