After 28 days and 62 matches played, the exciting, albeit somewhat experimental, summer of club football in the US has reached its final chapter.
The culmination of every gasp of excitement, every goal celebrated and every tackle applauded will be reached on Sunday, when the only two teams left standing face off at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, two teams that have already won international competitions this season, have enjoyed their time in the States, played some really good football and will now battle it out for the inaugural Gianni Infantino Trophy that will carry prestige, remain forever etched in history, but will also come with a hefty financial prize. More than enough to turn the attention of the football fans across the globe to a part of the world that rarely enjoys it.
The story of the 2024/25 football season has now lasted for almost 365 days, with top clubs usually citing their players for pre-season mid to late-July. And what a journey it has been for both Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.
Both teams arrive to this final having already had the taste of international silverware this season. Paris Saint-Germain’s very impressive run has saw them lift every trophy they competed for, including the club’s maiden Champions League, sealed in an emphatic fashion with a 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the final played in Munich this May.
It was also in May that Chelsea won their only trophy on the season, in quite an emphatic way as well. They had to work hard for it after going down early against Real Betis, but managed to score four in the second half to win the game.
As for their campaigns in the US, one was, again, more convincing and comfortable than the other. A look at the semifinals would be enough to tell the whole story, especially considering the way PSG dismantled Real Madrid after just 30 minutes and then toyed with them for the remainder of the game. They started the journey in the same way, beating another team from Madrid by four goals to zero.
Now, there is another similarity if you look how the two sides arrived to the final: their second round matches, and the fact that they’ve both lost to a Brazilian team. Botafogo stunned PSG with a disciplined, organized defensive display, while Chelsea fell to a brave, offensive Flamengo side.
Convincing, sharp and attack-orientated, both teams enter the final full of confidence. While it’s easy to say that PSG are the favourites to win yet another trophy to round up a perfect season, they too have had their struggles and Enzo Maresca’s blues will definitely have a thing or two to say. Who knows, it might all go down to which of the two magical Number 10s is more inspired on the occasion – Ballon d’Or front-runner Ousmane Dembélé or the proverbially Ice Cold Palmer.
What’s guaranteed is that there will be a lot of excitement and fun!