Chelsea know this moment. The feeling of standing on the edge of glory—or the brink of irrelevance.
Three years have passed since they last lifted the Club World Cup. A narrow win over Palmeiras. A Kai Havertz goal. A forgotten final that whispered more than it roared.
Now, under Enzo Maresca, a new chapter beckons.
Chelsea return not as reigning kings but as remembered ones. They’ve fought through transition, ridicule, and the long shadow of past mistakes. But this time, there’s structure. There’s hunger. There’s identity.
Drawn into Group D, they’ll face Flamengo, Club León, and Espérance Tunis. Names that don’t scare, but names that don’t bow either.
And if they go through? Waiting on the other side—possibly Bayern. Possibly Boca. Possibly history repeating itself.
This tournament, unlike the fragmented versions before it, offers no soft landings. Knockouts are one-legged.
Chelsea’s ticket was earned through that unforgettable night in Porto in 2021, when they outplayed Manchester City to win the Champions League. That legacy still lingers. It is why they’re here.
But legacy doesn’t score goals.
What does is their current form—cohesive, fast, ambitious. Despite exits from the domestic cups, they’ve turned heads in the Premier League and made light work of their UEFA Conference League group.
Enzo’s men are not favorites. Not in a tournament that features Real Madrid, City, Bayern, and PSG. But they are dangerous.
Dangerous because they’ve tasted what winning feels like. Dangerous because they have nothing to lose.
And dangerous because belief has returned.