Having claimed titles as world and European champions, Chelsea now naturally sets its sights on the next significant conquest: the Premier League. A compelling question emerges: could Enzo Maresca`s squad realistically achieve the unprecedented feat of simultaneously holding the Conference League, Club World Cup, and Premier League trophies?
Defender Levi Colwill strongly believes this is achievable, asserting that securing major honors is an inherent expectation for any player wearing the Chelsea shirt. Following their Club World Cup triumph, he stated, “We are a team, and that is fundamental to Chelsea`s identity. We stand united, no matter what. Legends like John Terry, Frank Lampard, and Didier Drogba established this principle, and we are committed to upholding it.”
Colwill further elaborated on the team`s potential: “Those were all exceptional players who achieved immensely, but our current squad also boasts top-tier talent, particularly among our young players. Our clear objective is to win the biggest trophies for Chelsea. We are definitely capable of it, and we have proven that. Everyone regarded PSG as the world`s best team, yet we secured a decisive 3-0 victory.”
It is entirely understandable for an academy graduate, deeply rooted in the club for over a decade, to harbor such optimism. This sentiment is amplified in the afterglow of what was arguably Chelsea`s most impressive performance since their 2020-21 Champions League victory. Maresca`s tactical blueprint against PSG was executed to perfection; his players demonstrated aggression, organization, and fearlessness. Sustaining such a high level of play over a rigorous 38-game Premier League season would undoubtedly propel any team to the pinnacle of domestic football.
However, this is precisely where the challenge lies. Chelsea`s performances during Maresca`s inaugural season seldom maintained that exemplary standard. This inconsistency resulted in them finishing 15 points adrift of Liverpool, vying for a top-five position rather than challenging for the title—a prospect their manager had downplayed mid-season. The final Premier League standings offered a more accurate reflection of their capabilities than the initial excitement of November and December, placing them comfortably in the third to fifth tier but significantly behind title contenders.
Last season, Chelsea`s goal-scoring output was inadequate. While their defensive record was commendable, ranking third in the league with 43 goals conceded, it needed to be substantially better given that they only scored 64 goals themselves. Their expected goal difference of 21.16 was less than half of Liverpool`s and notably behind even an injury-plagued Arsenal.
Their emphatic victory over PSG was remarkable precisely because it was atypical. Against other top-four teams last season, Chelsea recorded four losses, one draw, and just one victory—an impressive 3-1 win against a Liverpool side whose focus had already shifted to their Premier League title. Against Chelsea, Luis Enrique`s European champions managed only 17 touches in the opposition box, four fewer than Chelsea`s average top-flight opponent, despite dominating possession. The Chelsea side, which can sometimes appear passive both with and without the ball, started the PSG match with an intense surge in the opening ten minutes, setting a decisive tone. Maresca`s men were exceptional, but uncharacteristically so.
There is a risk that recent cup successes might paint an overly idealized picture of Chelsea`s progress under Maresca. They comfortably navigated the Conference League as expected and benefited from favorable draws in the Club World Cup. Their second-place finish in the latter seemed fortuitous when Benfica unexpectedly eliminated Bayern Munich. Subsequently, Al-Hilal and Fluminense cleared their path by overcoming Manchester City and Inter Milan, respectively.
This observation is not meant to detract from the brilliance of their win against the European champions or the widespread jubilation felt by their supporters upon seeing the Club World Cup badge on their sponsor-less kits. However, it is crucial to temper Todd Boehly`s robust 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 reality that their semi-final opponents, Fluminense, are rated by Opta as slightly inferior to teams such as Coventry City or Elche.
Despite this, does this success provide momentum? Probably, but skepticism persists regarding how this will balance against the five weeks of rest and preparation before their 2025-26 season commences. And while Chelsea is undoubtedly an improved team from last season, individual growth among their young squad is a significant factor. Still, questions linger about their transfer strategy.
For instance, João Pedro started brightly stateside, but excluding penalties, he has scored only 10 goals in 58 Premier League matches over the past two seasons, averaging 2.5 shots and 0.3 xG per 90 minutes. In comparison, Nicolas Jackson, who is now attracting interest from Manchester United and AC Milan, has netted 24 goals with averages of 2.78 shots and 0.55 xG. Replacing Noni Madueke with Jamie Gittens offers Maresca another option on the left wing, where Chelsea has long sought a consistent performer. Yet, it is hard to shake the feeling that this promising new signing`s short-term trajectory in a more competitive league might simply lead to performing at the same level as the player he is replacing.
Chelsea`s current recruitment approach appears somewhat puzzling, especially considering the Club World Cup prize money that could be invested. There is a clear opportunity to momentarily diverge from the model of acquiring young players with high potential in the $70 million range and instead invest more significantly in proven star quality. For example, replacing Jackson with a striker of Victor Osimhen`s caliber, acquiring an elite-level center-back to anchor the defense, and signing a top-tier goalkeeper would create a team that addresses every critical area.
Ultimately, the future remains incredibly promising for a team anchored by Moises Caicedo and ignited by the creative brilliance of Cole Palmer. They are surrounded by other quality components like Reece James, Marc Cucurella, and Enzo Fernández, to name a few. Chelsea is not far from entering the title conversation, even if their current recruitment department is not making the most optimal moves to bridge that gap.
Nevertheless, if Chelsea`s peak performance involves dismantling the champions of Europe—even if PSG appeared somewhat fatigued—then there is indeed reason to believe in the club`s long-term vision. However, it will require many more performances of this caliber before the world champions can realistically aspire to be the undisputed best team in their own homeland.
