Thomas Tuchel has to take Cole Palmer to the World Cup, especially after what has just come out about Chelsea’s Club World Cup final against PSG.
The international break is now behind us, but conversations about England will continue to bubble from now until June.
Palmer’s latest fitness update suggests he won’t be back as soon as this weekend, which is a shame for many reasons. One is that he needs to start playing his way into Tuchel’s plans.
Chelsea insiders are confident Palmer will be selected, but he’ll have a loftier ambition in mind — nailing down a starting berth.
He should start for England, and tales from before last summer’s Club World Cup final explain why.
Cole Palmer celebrates scoring during Chelsea FC v Paris Saint-Germain: Final - FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Cole Palmer’s pre-PSG actions are exactly what Thomas Tuchel needs
Back in July, Chelsea were faced with the unenviable task of facing a PSG side fresh off a Champions League title.
The French giants were in a league of their own last season, and weren’t a side anyone wanted to face. Anyone but Palmer, that is.
As Matt Law reveals for the Telegraph, the Englishman was licking his lips at the prospect of clashing with Europe’s best.
He explains: “The victory over PSG was perhaps the best example so far of Palmer being a big-game player. Sources around the Chelsea dressing room have described the former Manchester City player as being like an excited puppy the day before the Club World Cup final.
“Where some players can see the possibility of failure and criticism, Palmer only sees opportunity and the chance to make an impact on the big stage. He does not worry what might be said or written about him and is virtually oblivious to any outside noise.”
Tuchel has been warned not to make the same Palmer mistake that saw him used only as an impact sub in Germany last year, and this is just another reason.
Palmer made for moments like the World Cup
The England shirt is heavy on the shoulders of some.
The hopes and dreams of a nation are at stake when international tournaments come around, which can be too much for certain players to handle.
The Chelsea talisman lives for the big moment. We saw it in the Euros final against Spain, we saw it against PSG, and in Palmer’s Player of the Match performance in the Conference League final.
Tuchel is spoilt for choice in the forward areas, but someone like Palmer shouldn’t have to warm the bench, especially when the lights are brightest.
That’s when he can make all the difference.