U.S. President Donald Trump stayed on stage as Chelsea players raised the Club World Cup trophy.
Trump and Gianni Infantino had delivered the trophy to the players but as the FIFA president pointed for Trump to follow him off stage, the American president stayed put.
Trump smiled and clapped as the team jumped up and down around him.
President Donald Trump waves as he walks on the field with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, right, for the trophy ceremony of the Club World Cup final soccer match in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
U.S. President Donald Trump is on the field, flanked by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
The trophy presentation is next.
PSG’s players are sitting on the field looking utterly dejected.
After the joyous scenes in Munich when they won the Champions League title, this feels like an anticlimax.
It has been a very long season and while the Champions League was always the priority, there will be a feeling of disappointment to give up the chance to be crowned world champion after putting so much into this tournament.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca hugs Reece James afater the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
After two trophies in his first season at Chelsea, coach Enzo Maresca is ready for a break.
Maresca says he’s “very excited.”
“More excited to have three weeks off,” he said on the field, wearing a shirt with the words “World Champions 25″ printed on it.
Chelsea opens its 2025-26 Premier League season on Aug. 17 against Crystal Palace.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer says coach Enzo Maresca is “building something special.”
“It’s a great feeling (to win). Even better because everyone doubted us before the game. We knew we had to put up a fight against a great team,” Palmer said after scoring twice in a 3-0 victory over PSG.
“The gaffer put a great game plan. He knew where the space would be to free me up and I had to repay him.”
Chelsea has become the first team to win the newly expanded Club World Cup —beating Champions League winner PSG in the final.
This looked like being the start of the PSG era, with Luis Enrique’s team sweeping its way to the title match. It was the big favorite to add the world title to its European crown, but Chelsea had other ideas.
It was a near-perfect performance from the Premier League team — racing to a 3-0 halftime lead and it could have added more in the second half. Cole Palmer scored twice and João Pedro added a third goal.
So the question now is — could this be the start of a new era for Chelsea?
Enzo Maresca’s team won the third-tier UEFA Conference League last season and qualified for the Champions League. American owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have overseen exorbitant spending and chaotic managerial appointments — but the trophies are starting to roll in.
Chelsea’s Joao Pedro, left, is attacked by Paris Saint-Germain’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and coach Luis Enrique at the end of the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Some angry scenes on the field after the final whistle. Luis Enrique, Joao Pedro and Gianluigi Donnarumma appeared to be involved in a confrontation before being separated.
Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca walked Donnarumma away from the standoff. He had an arm around the PSG goalkeeper — both are Italian.
Chelsea is the Club World Cup champion after a 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
Chelsea players celebrate after winning the Club World Cup final soccer match against Paris Saint-Germain in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Paris Saint-Germain’s Joao Neves (87) leaves after receiving a red card during the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
That was pure frustration from Joao Neves.
We saw moments earlier an incident between him and Marc Cucurella when he was trying to get the Chelsea defender to stand up after a foul.
And then there was an off-the-ball collision between the pair and VAR showed Joao Neves responded by pulling Cucurella’s hair.
It was enough to be deemed violent conduct and therefore a red card.
A bad day for PSG just gets worse.
The screens at MetLife show that 81,118 people are attending the match. That’s just under the stadium’s capacity of 82,500. It’s the most attended match in this tournament.
Fireworks are seen over Met Life Stadium before the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique during the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
PSG coach Luis Enrique is going for it with all he’s got from the bench.
Attackers Bradley Barcola, Goncalo Ramos, Warren Zaire-Emery and Senny Mayulu have all been thrown in the second half to try to turn the game.
It looks like a lost cause. Chelsea have been outstanding and when PSG has found a way through, goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has been there to deny them.
Fans send off João Pedro with applause as he is substituted by Liam Delap.
The forward scored before halftime to give Chelsea a 3-0 lead. He ran onto a Cole Palmer pass and flicked the ball over goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
A concerning sight for Chelsea as Enzo Fernandez limps off the field. He stretched for the ball and looked uncomfortable.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Vitinha, left, and Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez go for the ball during the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
The Argentina midfielder really is the engine of this Chelsea team with the amount of ground he covers to retrieve and move the ball.
Andrey Santos came on in his place in the 61st minute.
PSG fans clap and cheer for their team hoping to create momentum to overcome the 3-0 deficit.
“Allez, Allez, Allez,” they sing. They beat drums as their attacking players search for their elusive first goal.
PSG fans have also added two big flags into their section.
Another brilliant chance for PSG and another brilliant save from Robert Sanchez to deny Ousmane Dembele from close range in the 52nd minute.
Notably, PSG is getting beyond Chelsea’s defense with far more regularity than in the first half. The French team has to make one of these chances count if it is to stage a comeback, down 3-0.
It’s been a flying start to the second half for PSG with Fabian Ruiz and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia both have chances within minutes of the restart.
An early goal for PSG would make this second half very interesting.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Vitinha shoots during the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
A game too many for PSG? Chelsea leads 3-0 at halftime.
In its 65th competitive match of the season, PSG has looked tired and confused.
Much of that can be credited to Chelsea, which has succeeded in forcing PSG into errors on the ball and, in particular, has targeted Nuno Mendes on the left of defense. All three Chelsea goals have come down that side.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Nuno Mendes, left, and Chelsea’s Joao Pedro vie for control of the ball during the first half of the Club World Cup final soccer match in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
This is a serious test of PSG’s credentials and it has had its moments. That early chance for Desire Doue springs to mind. Why didn’t he shoot instead of passing Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez has also pulled off saves when required — denying Doue and Joao Neves.
This game isn’t over — but at the end of a very long season, it is a big ask for the Champions League winner to produce a second half comeback. Especially in this heat.
Australian singer Emmanuel Kelly, center, performs at the half time during the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Coldplay joined made a surprise appearance to help close out the halftime show.
Chris Martin had only been listed as having “curated” the gig.
They sang their 2014 hit “A Sky Full of Stars.” The fans ran back to their seats where they jumped and sang.
Earlier, J Balvin opened the halftime show singing his 2018 hit “Mi Gente” to empty seats. Most fans had headed indoors to enjoy the halftime.
The singers are at the top of the stadium in a gold and red platform with a group of dancers. They all take turns to sing their most popular hits.
J Balvin performs during the halftime show at the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Rapper Doja Cat performs at the half time during the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Australian singer Emmanuel Kelly arrives for the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Emmanuel Kelly will be one of the halftime performers. His backstory is incredible.
A FIFA feature on Kelly explains how chemical warfare had impacted his life. Born with damaged limbs, he had been abandoned in a park and brought to a Baghdad orphanage.
Australian humanitarian Moira Kelly took him home. In Australia, he underwent a series of surgeries.
He became a singer and appeared on The X Factor in Australia in 2011 at age 18. He impressed with his version of John Lennon’s “Imagine.”
The halftime show also features Colombian reggaeton artist J Balvin, American rapper and singer Doja Cat, and Nigerian singer Tems.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer is congratulated after scoring his side’s 2nd goal during the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Chelsea fans jump in the air and hug each other as the team nets its third goal of the match. And it’s not even halftime yet.
PSG supporters remain quiet in their section.
Paris Saint-Germain’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma can’t make the save on a goal scored by Chelsea’s Joao Pedro, left, during the first half of the Club World Cup final soccer match in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
João Pedro makes it 3-0 with a delightful flick over goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 43rd minute.
After two goals in the semifinals, he’s got another in the final.
Again Chelsea has cut PSG open on the left of the French team’s defense. It was a brilliant throughball by Cole Palmer.
Referee Alireza Faghani shows the yellow card to Chelsea’s Pedro Neto during the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Pedro Neto, Moises Caicedo and Malo Gusto could be walking a tightrope for the rest of the match, with all three on yellow cards.
That’s about the only negative for Chelsea in what has been an outstanding first half against a PSG team that has been made to look ordinary.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, center, celebrates scoring his side’s 2nd goal during the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
It’s that man again and it was a virtual repeat of his first goal.
Yet again Cole Palmer has the ball inside the box and curls a low left-footed shot into the bottom corner.
It’s 2-0 Chelsea after 30 minutes. Palmer opened the scoring in the 22nd.
During the player water break before the half-hour mark, the staff brought out a pair of sprinklers to water the field.
Cole Palmer didn’t miss this time. From the same spot where he fired wide earlier.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer scores during the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Again it’s another curling effort, but this time he goes low and it ends up inside the right side of the post.
Superb composure from Palmer to thread that shot around the PSG defense and beyond goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Paris Saint-Germain’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma (1) can’t stop a goal by Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (10) during the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
It’s just the second goal PSG has allowed in the whole tournament.
PSG’s first chance fell to Desire Doue — the player of the match in the Champions League final — but he got it all wrong on this occasion.
With the ball at his feet and close to goal, he opted to cut the ball back for Achraf Hakimi, who would have had a tap in.
Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella was there to intercept and the chance was gone.
Surely Doue would have been better off shooting from there?
Cooling machines are blowing frosty air into the benches to keep players refreshed during the match.
The temperature has increased to 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 C). The machines are on the left side of each bench.
Parts of the stadium thought Chelsea scored — but Cole Palmer’s curling effort hit the side netting in the eighth minute.
Chelsea wouldn’t have wanted that chance to fall to anyone else but Palmer — even if he has been unusually quiet in front of goal since the turn of the year. The England international has only scored four times in 2025 and only once in the Club World Cup.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer reacts after a miss during the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Players line up before the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
The players were called out individually ahead of kickoff. That’s unusual for soccer but has been one of FIFA’s introductions for this tournament.
It will be interesting to see whether it remains for next year’s World Cup — especially given how much time it takes and, in such oppressive heat, it must be uncomfortable for those who come out first and have to wait for everyone else.
After the players took the field, ring announcer Michael Buffer of boxing fame delivered his famous line “Let’s get ready to rumble!”
Chelsea fan Alexandra Arias played the waiting game on tickets — and it worked. FIFA slashed the lowest ticket prices from $330 earlier in the week to $199.60 on Saturday.
“We bought them on Saturday because they dropped prices,” Arias said and urged others to do the same next year for the 2026 World Cup. “We recommend people wait until they drop.”
A group of marine helicopters pass over the Club World Cup final soccer match between Chelsea and PSG in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Other fans were not as lucky.
“Two weeks ago all the ticket prices are lower, and we paid prime price for nose bleeds in the three hundred section and then the low section in the 100s is cheaper than mine,” PSG fan Beatrice Cruz said about buying her tickets in January. “So I ended up paying over $170 dollars to upgrade the tickets.”
Former U.S. captain John Harkes was at Sunday’s match and spoke about the U.S. men’s national team, which lost to Mexico 2-1 in last week’s CONCACAF Gold Cup final with a roster missing many regulars, including Christian Pulisic.
“It is about creating depth,” Harkes said. “It is all about discovering new players, and you have to give opportunities. And I think we’ve seen some of that process in the last five, six months, without a doubt. I think the depth has gotten a lot better, and now we just need those players to kind of bring the synergy and be there together.”
PSG’s head coach Luis Enrique celebrates with the trophy after the Champions League final soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Luis Enrique is targeting his 14th major title as a coach and his second Club World Cup. The PSG boss last won the competition in its former guise with Barcelona in 2015.
It would cap a spectacular two years at PSG, having won back-to-back French league and cup doubles, as well as ending the team’s wait for the Champions League title.
Tens of thousands of police officers have been deployed across France in anticipation of tonight’s game in the United States.
French officials want to avoid a repeat of the violence that disrupted PSG’s celebrations of its historic Champions League title.
They say no gatherings will be allowed on the Champs-Elysées.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau told RMC media: “A total of 11,500 police and gendarmes will be mobilized in Paris on Sunday, and 53,000 throughout France.”
French police are faced with a double security challenge. Tomorrow is Bastille Day.
Temperature at kickoff is forecast to be 83 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius) with humidity that will make it feel like 88 F (31 C).
Heat has been an ongoing concern throughout the tournament.
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández said Friday that playing in high temperatures is “very dangerous.”
“The other day I got a little dizzy during a play. I had to lie down on the ground because I was really dizzy,” he said.
The lowest ticket prices dropped from $330 earlier in the week to $199.60 on Saturday.
FIFA cut standard ticket prices for the semifinal between Chelsea and Fluminense at MetLife on Tuesday to $13.40 from $473.90 earlier in the past week.
Chelsea fans celebrate at the end of the Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between Fluminense and Chelsea in East Rutherford, N.J., Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
FIFA has used dynamic pricing for the 63-game tournament.
Ticket prices dropped to $11.15 for a quarterfinal in Orlando, Florida, between Fluminense and Al Hilal, and in Philadelphia between Chelsea and Palmeiras.
The winning team could earn $125 million in prize money, based on results throughout the competition.
PSG and Chelsea have reaped a guaranteed $75.6 million so far, with the winner of tonight’s final picking up another $40 million.
Added to that is a participation fee ranging from $13 million to $38 million dependent on a ranking that FIFA says is “based on sporting and commercial criteria.”
Even without the participation fee, the winner of the final is guaranteed to make $115.6 million for one month’s work and seven games. To put that into context, Real Madrid picked up $154 million for winning the Champions League in 2024 — a season-long tournament that involved 13 matches from the group stage to the final.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will attend the final.
They traveled from their golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, to East Rutherford 40 miles (64 kilometers) away to watch the match.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has built close ties to both Trump administrations, and was inside the Capitol rotunda in January for the formal presidential inauguration ceremony.
FIFA has previously said that Trump will present the trophy at the finals of both the Club World Cup the 2026 World Cup — both at MetLife Stadium. Infantino left the Club World Cup trophy at the Oval Office for several weeks after a White House visit.
President Donald Trump, left, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino stand next to the FIFA Club World Cup trophy in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Pool via AP)
▶ Read more about Trump’s attendance at the Club World Cup final
Paris Saint-Germain’s starting 11 pose for a team photo before the Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between PSG and Real Madrid in East Rutherford, N.J., Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
No changes for PSG from the team that beat Real Madrid 4-0 in the semifinals. That front three of Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is enough to give defenders nightmares.
PSG’s lineup:
- Donnarumma
- Hakimi
- Marquinhos
- Beraldo
- Mendes
- Neves
- Ruiz
- Vitinha
- Doue
- Dembele
- Kvaratskhelia
Chelsea’s João Pedro, right, celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between Fluminense and Chelsea in East Rutherford, N.J., Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Chelsea’s lineup is out already and new signing João Pedro starts again after his two-goal performance in the team’s 2-0 semifinal victory over Fluminense.
Could he take the golden boot for the tournament after only two starts? Four players share the lead on four goals apiece — none of whom are in the final.
Chelsea’s lineup:
- Sanchez
- Gusto
- Chalobah
- Colwill
- Cucurella
- James
- Caicedo
- Enzo
- Palmer
- Neto
- Pedro
Paris Saint-Germain’s Marquinhos, left, and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe challenge for the ball during the Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between PSG and Real Madrid in East Rutherford, N.J., Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Not even the most optimistic of PSG fans could have expected things to so well in the post-Kylian Mbappe era.
The French superstar’s move to Real Madrid last year preceded the greatest season in club history.
PSG finally won its first Champions League title. Weeks later, it can cap it off with the world title.
Mbappe, meanwhile, despite enjoying an outstanding individual campaign at Madrid, ended his first year in Spain with the club relinquishing its Spanish and European titles. He also had to endure a 4-0 loss to PSG in the Club World Cup semifinals.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Fabian Ruiz gets past Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane during the Club World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between PSG and Bayern Munich in Atlanta, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
PSG’s Fabian Ruiz, better known for his defensive qualities in midfield, is an unlikely contender for the tournament’s top scorer.
He is on three goals and another in the final would see him move level with Gonzalo Garcia (Real Madrid), Angel Di Maria (Benfica), Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund) and Marcos Leonardo (Al-Hilal) at the top.
But keep an eye on PSG forward Ousmane Dembele, who has scored 32 times this season and is on two for the tournament.
Chelsea’s Pedro Neto is also on three goals and in contention for the golden boot, while new teammate Joao Pedro made an instant impact for his new club with two goals in the 2-0 semifinal victory over Fluminense
Argentina’s Lionel Messi, left, moves the ball ahead of Brazil’s Casemiro during the second half of their soccer match at Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Saturday, June 9, 2012. Argentina won 4-3. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)
Lionel Messi dazzled for Argentina when they faced Brazil in an international friendly at MetLife Stadium in June 2012.
His 85th-minute winner completed a hat trick in a 4-3 victory in a match that drew just under 82,000 fans.
Messi is still going, though his Inter Miami team was rudely ousted from the Club World Cup in a 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16 two weeks ago.
Is a Meadowlands encore in store? Messi led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title and he’s still playing for the national team.
MetLife will host another big game a year from now — next summer’s World Cup final.
It was selected to host final scheduled for July 19, 2026, in what will be the culmination of an expanded 48-nation, 104-game tournament.
The United States is hosting with Mexico and Canada.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had lobbied for the final to be at his AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. is shown Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Stephen Whyno)
Some things to know about the stadium where today’s match will be played:
- It cost $1.6 billion to construct and opened in 2010.
- It is the home of two NFL teams — the New York Giants and New York Jets — even though it’s located in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
- Capacity for soccer and NFL games is 82,500.
- It’s located 10 miles west of Manhattan.
- It hosted the Super Bowl on Feb. 2, 2014 when the Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos 43-8. The NFL rarely holds its marque event at an outdoor stadium in a cold-weather city.
It is no surprise that it’s an all-European final, given the continent’s recent dominance of this competition. European teams have won the past 11 editions when it was still just a seven-team mini tournament.
The last non-European team to win was Corinthians. The Brazilian club won the title in 2012 by beating Chelsea 1-0 in the final.
In this Dec. 16, 2012 file photo, Corinthians captain Alessandro, center, holds up the trophy as he celebrates with teammates during an award ceremony after beating Chelsea FC 1-0 in their final match to win the FIFA Club World Cup soccer tournament in Yokohama, near Tokyo. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File)
Paris Saint-Germain’s Fabian Ruiz, bottom, celebrates with team mate Achraf Hakimi after scoring his side’s third goal during the Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between PSG and Real Madrid in East Rutherford, N.J., Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Chelsea’s Joao Pedro (20) is congratulated by Enzo Fernandez after scoring his side’s 2nd goal during the Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between Fluminense and Chelsea in East Rutherford, N.J., Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Both teams have identical records on their way to the final. They both won twice and lost once in the group phase.
PSG, however, has been explosive in front of goal — blowing away Atletico Madrid, Inter Miami and Real Madrid. And the French team has allowed just one goal all tournament.
In the group stage PSG beat Atletico 4-0, lost to Botafogo 1-0, and beat Seattle 2-0. They topped Lionel Messi’s squad 4-0, then blanked Bayern Munich 2-0 to reach the semifinals, where they downed Real Madrid 4-0.
Chelsea in the group stage beat LAFC 2-0, lost to Flamengo 3-1, and beat ES Tunis 3-0.
The Premier League club then eliminated Benfica 4-1 (after extra time), beat Palmeiras 2-1 in the quarterfinals and defeated Fluminense 2-0 to get to the championship match.
