English winger Cole Palmer is riding a wave of praise after leading Chelsea to victory in the UEFA Conference League.
Though Palmer didn’t score in the final against Real Betis, his creativity and intensity on the pitch made him Chelsea’s standout performer and the Player of the Match. With a dazzling display, the young winger played a key role in Chelsea’s emphatic 4-1 win and is now receiving widespread acclaim.
Chelsea’s triumph on Wednesday marked a historic milestone — they became the first club to win all four major European competitions.
But the scoreline doesn’t tell the whole story. After conceding early in the 9th minute, Chelsea trailed until the 65th minute, with the threat of defeat looming large. Then Palmer stepped up and completely changed the game, playing a crucial part in the first two goals.
Chelsea leveled the score through Enzo Fernandez in the 65th minute. Just five minutes later, Nicolas Jackson put them ahead. Jadon Sancho extended the lead in the 83rd minute, and Moises Caicedo added a fourth in stoppage time to seal a dominant win.
Former Chelsea winger Joe Cole was full of praise for Palmer on TNT Sports, saying:
“Cole Palmer is a truly genius… he took control of the whole game, and there aren’t many players in world football capable of doing what he did.”
Ex-Chelsea player Mark Schwarzer also highlighted Palmer’s maturity despite his age in an interview on BBC Radio 5:
“Cole Palmer stamped his authority and made the difference in the game. He’s a young player, but there’s a strange sense of maturity about him. He guided the team and dictated the game in the second half.”
West Ham forward Michail Antonio was equally impressed by Palmer’s brilliant assists:
“Chelsea were losing that match until Cole Palmer decided to take over… two unbelievable balls, two unbelievable goals, what a fantastic player.”
