Club World Cup final: How Chelsea replicated PSG’s pressing tactics with an added long ball twist to beat Champions League winners in their own game
In a compelling tactical showdown during the Club World Cup final, Chelsea stunned fans and pundits alike by defeating the reigning Champions League winners using a creative blend of PSG-style high pressing and a strategic long-ball twist. While many expected Chelsea to rely on their usual possession-based game, they instead flipped the script—beating their opponents at their own game.
This victory not only gave Chelsea a prestigious global title but also demonstrated how tactical innovation and borrowing from successful systems like PSG’s can tip the balance on the biggest stages.
A Bold Shift: Chelsea’s Tactical Evolution
Under Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea have been evolving. Yet, this final was different. Rather than dominate possession or sit back and counter, the Blues pressed high and aggressively, cutting off supply lines, pushing fullbacks up, and forcing errors in the midfield.
The approach bore a striking resemblance to Paris Saint-Germain’s high pressing system under managers like Thomas Tuchel and Luis Enrique—where the front line applies coordinated pressure and midfielders push forward to trap the opposition in their own half.
But Chelsea added their own twist—verticality.
Why the PSG-Style Press Worked
High pressing isn’t just about aggression—it’s about timing, coordination, and understanding of space. PSG have made this a trademark in big European games, often unsettling opponents by not giving them time to build from the back. Chelsea mirrored this.
In the Club World Cup final, the Chelsea front three pressed in unison. The central striker cut off passing lanes to the opposition’s defensive midfielders, while the wingers closed down the fullbacks, forcing the Champions League winners into hurried clearances or mistakes.
Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo, in midfield, were crucial. They were positioned high enough to intercept second balls and win back possession immediately—keeping the pressure on.
The Long Ball Twist: Not Just Route One
What made Chelsea’s approach unique was the directness they layered onto their pressing game. Instead of always trying to play out from the back under pressure, Chelsea often used long diagonal passes and chipped balls over the press to switch play rapidly or bypass the midfield entirely.
This wasn’t random hoofing forward. These long balls were targeted—aimed at runners like Raheem Sterling or Nicolas Jackson, who stretched the defensive line and created space for midfielders to join the attack.
The result? Chelsea were able to break the press of the Champions League winners—using their own weapons against them.
Key Moments That Showcased the Strategy
The opening goal of the final perfectly summed up Chelsea’s plan. After regaining possession near the halfway line, Fernández quickly sent a diagonal long ball to the right flank. Reece James overlapped, delivered a low cross into the box, and Sterling finished with clinical precision.
Later, Chelsea’s second goal came directly from a pressing trap. Caicedo intercepted a short pass inside the opposition’s half, found Jackson in space, and within two touches, the ball was in the back of the net.
These sequences reflected how pressing and long balls combined to devastating effect—press, recover, launch forward, finish.
Defensive Solidity Behind the Press
No pressing system works without a solid defensive foundation, and Chelsea executed this flawlessly. Thiago Silva and Levi Colwill played with composure and discipline, rarely stepping out unnecessarily. The fullbacks pressed high but dropped back swiftly when needed.
Most importantly, goalkeeper Robert Sánchez played a modern sweeper role—offering himself as a passing option and clearing danger when the high line was breached.
This compact defensive organization allowed Chelsea to take risks higher up the pitch.
Pochettino’s Influence: Blending Ideas
This performance also marked a turning point for Mauricio Pochettino, whose tactics have often been debated since his arrival at Stamford Bridge. In this final, he showed he could be flexible, smart, and pragmatic.
By borrowing the pressing model from his time at PSG and combining it with a more vertical, risk-reward approach, he created a plan that stifled the Champions League winners and caught them off guard.
Pochettino’s Chelsea is clearly a work in progress, but this win hinted at the potential of his project—a team that can adapt, press with intensity, and strike with purpose.
What This Win Means for Chelsea
The Club World Cup title may not carry the weight of the Champions League or Premier League, but it’s a global marker of quality. More importantly, it showed that Chelsea can go toe-to-toe with the best—not by mimicking them completely, but by refining their own version of a modern tactical blueprint.
This victory will likely boost team morale, offer tactical clarity, and buy Pochettino time and trust. For a squad filled with youth and promise, this could be a foundational moment.
Conclusion: Beating the Best by Being Brave
In the end, Chelsea’s win was about bravery—bravery to press, to take risks, and to reimagine their style when it mattered most. PSG’s pressing philosophy may have laid the groundwork, but Chelsea’s own tactical twist made the difference.
By combining intelligent pressing with incisive long balls, they didn’t just win a trophy—they sent a message to Europe: this team is learning, evolving, and ready to challenge again.
