Chelsea have secured their place in the Club World Cup final after defeating Brazilian side Fluminense 2-0 on Tuesday night, thanks to an emotional brace from João Pedro against the club where he spent his formative years. The 23-year-old forward, making his first start for Chelsea since joining from Brighton on July 2, found the back of the net in the 18th and 56th minutes but chose not to celebrate, showing respect for Fluminense, where he played from age 10 until his move to Watford in 2020.
The Blues now move forward in search of their second world championship title, setting up a clash on Sunday with whoever triumphs in the semi-final between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. European clubs continue to dominate the Club World Cup stage, with Chelsea hoping to extend Europe’s winning streak to 12 consecutive titles — the only recent exception being Brazil’s Corinthians in 2012.
The match at MetLife Stadium attracted over 70,000 fans despite scorching temperatures that felt like 40 degrees Celsius due to high humidity. FIFA had significantly slashed ticket prices from nearly $470 to just over $13 to help fill the stands.
Chelsea’s opening goal came after João Pedro capitalised on a defensive error, working with Pedro Neto and curling a shot beautifully past Fluminense’s goalkeeper. His second goal sealed the win after a clever team move involving Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernández. Fluminense nearly found a lifeline with a penalty decision in the first half, but French referee François Letexier overturned the call after a VAR check confirmed Trevoh Chalobah’s handball was unintentional.
Moisés Caicedo gave Chelsea a scare with an ankle injury during stoppage time, but the Blues managed to hold their lead and keep a clean sheet, with Marc Cucurella clearing a certain goal off the line earlier in the match.
Speaking after the match, João Pedro paid tribute to Fluminense, saying they gave him everything when he had nothing. Fluminense coach Renato Gaúcho said his side can leave the tournament with their heads high despite the loss.
Chelsea’s place in the final also comes with a big financial boost, earning them an estimated $88 million to $103 million in prize money, depending on FIFA’s undisclosed participation fees. The European giants will now wait to see whether PSG or Real Madrid will stand in their way as they chase another world title.