Having claimed both the world and European championship titles, a singular, logical next objective presents itself for Chelsea. The critical question is whether Enzo Maresca`s team can truly make history by simultaneously holding the Conference League, Club World Cup, and Premier League trophies.
For Levi Colwill, the possibility is not just real, but winning major honors is seen as an inherent expectation for anyone donning the Chelsea jersey. “We`re a team, and that`s fundamental to Chelsea`s identity,” he stated after securing the Club World Cup. “Unity is key, regardless of the circumstances. Legends like John Terry, Frank Lampard, and Didier Drogba established this ethos, and we are committed to continuing it.”
Colwill further elaborated, “They were extraordinary players, top winners, but our squad also boasts exceptional talent—especially young players. Our clear goal is to secure the most prestigious trophies for Chelsea. We are certainly capable, and our 3-0 victory over PSG, a team many considered the world`s best, demonstrated that.”
It`s understandable for a long-standing academy product to maintain such optimism, particularly in the afterglow of Chelsea`s most impressive performance since their 2020-21 Champions League triumph secured their place in this very competition. Enzo Maresca`s tactical plan was executed flawlessly; his players displayed aggression, organization, and fearlessness. Sustaining such a level of play across a full 38-game season would undoubtedly propel any team to the pinnacle.
However, therein lies the challenge. Chelsea rarely reached that exceptional standard during Maresca`s inaugural season. This inconsistency led them to finish 15 points behind Liverpool, battling for a top-five position, a far cry from the title discussions their manager had previously dampened midway through the season. The final Premier League standings offered a more accurate reflection of their form than the fleeting euphoria of November and December, placing them comfortably in the third to fifth range but distant from genuine title contention.
Last season, Chelsea`s goal-scoring output was insufficient. While their defensive record was commendable, ranking third with 43 goals conceded, it needed to be even stronger given that they only managed to score 64 goals themselves. Their expected goal difference of 21.16 was less than half of Liverpool`s and significantly behind an injury-plagued Arsenal.
Their resounding victory against PSG was particularly remarkable due to its uncharacteristic nature. Against the other top-four teams from last season, Chelsea suffered four losses, drew one, and secured only one win – an impressive 3-1 defeat of a Liverpool side already focused on their Premier League title. In that game, Luis Enrique`s European champions managed just 17 touches in the opposition box, four fewer than Chelsea`s average top-flight opponent, despite dominating possession with two-thirds of the ball. A team sometimes criticized for passivity, both with and without possession, set an immediate, aggressive tone within the first 10 minutes. Maresca`s side was exceptional, a notable departure from their usual form.
There`s a potential pitfall that their cup successes might overstate Chelsea`s overall progression under Maresca. They comfortably navigated the Conference League and benefited from favorable circumstances in the Club World Cup. Their path to the final seemed particularly fortunate after Benfica eliminated Bayern Munich in the last 16, and then Al-Hilal and Fluminense cleared the way by knocking out Manchester City and Inter Milan, respectively.
This is not to diminish the superb performance against the European champions, nor the joy supporters felt seeing that prominent gold badge on their sponsor-free kits. However, it`s crucial to balance Todd Boehly`s confident assessment of Chelsea`s Club World Cup campaign—”The boys have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with,” he told Talksport—with the fact that Opta rated their semifinal opponents, Fluminense, as marginally less potent than Championship side Coventry City and La Liga`s Elche.
Nonetheless, this triumph surely provides momentum, right? Perhaps, but many are skeptical about how this will translate given the five weeks of rest and preparation period before their 2025-26 season commences. And while Chelsea has clearly improved from last season, individual growth from this young squad is a significant factor. Still, questions linger regarding their transfer decisions.
Joao Pedro began promisingly in the United States, but excluding penalties, he has only 10 goals from 58 Premier League appearances over the past two seasons, averaging 2.5 shots and 0.3 expected goals (xG) per 90 minutes. For Nicolas Jackson, currently linked with Manchester United and AC Milan, those figures stand at 24 goals, 2.78 shots, and 0.55 xG. Swapping Noni Madueke for Jamie Gittens offers Maresca another option on the left flank, a position where Chelsea has consistently sought the right player. Yet, it`s hard to shake the feeling that the new signing`s impressive short-term trajectory might simply place him at a similar level to the player he`s replacing in a more demanding league.
Chelsea`s current transfer approach is somewhat perplexing, especially with the Club World Cup prize money potentially available for investment. There seems to be a clear opportunity to temporarily deviate from their model of acquiring $70 million-plus young talents with potential, and instead invest more significantly in adding genuine star quality. Imagine if they replaced Jackson with a striker of Victor Osimhen`s caliber, secured an elite-level center-back to solidify their defense, and brought in a top-tier goalkeeper. Such moves would create a team that addresses every critical area.
Ultimately, the future remains exceptionally bright for a team anchored by Moises Caicedo and creatively sparked by Cole Palmer. They are surrounded by talented components such as Reece James, Marc Cucurella, and Enzo Fernandez, among others. Chelsea is not far from genuinely entering the title conversation, even if, at present, their recruitment department doesn`t appear to be making the most optimal moves to achieve that goal.
Nevertheless, the fact that Chelsea can reach such a high standard, as demonstrated by their dominant win against the European champions (despite PSG`s apparent fatigue), provides a compelling reason to believe in their long-term vision. However, it will require a sustained period of performing at this elite level before the world champions can realistically aspire to be considered the premier team in their own country.
