Cole Palmer is England’s cheat code for World Cup success after Chelsea heroics | OneFootball

In the midst of a 12-game goal drought, questions began to rise over Cole Palmer’s potency. With a supersonic rise to prominence comes the inevitable doubt that such quality can be sustained.

The Manchester City youth product had set expectations high. His debut season at Chelsea single-handedly justified Todd Boehly’s strategy of heavy investment in high potential, registering 33 goal contributions in 34 Premier League games in 2023/24. And while his mid-term tally of 14 goals this year was by no means indicative of a one-season wonder, the barren run that followed led the naysayers to become emboldened.

When his dry spell eventually came to an end on 4 May – netting a last-second penalty as Chelsea capitalised on Liverpool’s post-crowning hangover – there was a real feeling of a weight being lifted.

The 23-year-old had come out the other side of his first true patch of adversity as a senior player, the significance of which was represented by goalkeeper Robert Sanchez running the length of the pitch to celebrate with him.

Palmer has looked his old self since that Sunday afternoon at Stamford Bridge, crucially re-stamping his mark as a big game player. His dazzling second-half display in the Conference League final made such a fact apparent, outshining his opposite number – a rejuvenated 33-year-old Spanish playmaker Isco – to spearhead a stunning turnaround against Real Betis.

But it was stateside, against the best team on the planet, where the Englishman made his biggest statement.

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Cole Palmer is a man for the biggest games (AP)

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Palmer was talismanic in beating PSG (Getty)

There are not enough superlatives in the dictionary to describe Palmer’s scything of Paris Saint-Germain. Luis Enrique had seemingly built an unbeatable footballing force, one that had conquered Europe after ridding itself of a reliance on superstars, instead shifting to an ideology that focused on the all-powerful collective. Ironically, it was an individual who proved their undoing when world champion status was put on the line.

A tournament tarnished by its unplayable heat, the Club World Cup culminated in the coldest performance of them all. Palmer was unfazed by the reputation PSG had built, but invigorated by how quickly his side had been written off. “Impossible,” they said – but is there such a thing in football? What followed was an outright humbling, with Palmer at the heart of all three Chelsea goals that went unanswered on their journey to immortality.

“Everyone’s talked a lot of s*** about us this season, but I feel like we’re going in the right direction,” Palmer said post-match. That wasn’t from the media training handbook. It was instead a moment of refreshing honesty from a player who has been wrongly doubted for half a year, but evidently hasn’t let the critics hurt his progression or on-pitch psyche.

Enzo Maresca will hope such an astonishing solo performance is a sign of glory to come. As will Thomas Tuchel.

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Donald Trump presented Palmer with the Golden Ball award (AP)

Palmer has already conquered New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium to win a “World Cup”. Next year, England football team boss Tuchel will be praying for a repeat. The proper World Cup 2026 will reach its climax at the same location – an admittedly questionable choice, given its inconvenient location, lack of roof and unfit-for-purpose facilities – but regardless, England will strive to be there.

The wealth of talent in England’s ranks is arguably second to none. Position for position, Tuchel has serious depth in quality at his disposal, a fact made even more encouraging by the squad’s relatively low average age. This era of England feels destined to win a major tournament – but we’ve been here before.

The cautionary tale of the “golden generation” has long taught England, as a nation, to manage its expectations. The mid-2000s squad that included the likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes among a collection of world-beaters – that never got a sniff of ending however many years of hurt.

This current crop, however, has. The wounds of back-to-back Euros final defeats still sting, but there is an increasing sense of belief that this England generation can break the now six-decade trophyless curse. That’s because, at least under Gareth Southgate, the Three Lions had a knack for getting the job done, even when performances had a lot to be desired. At Euro 2024, there wasn’t one game where England looked like potential champions. They still reached the final.

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Palmer was brought into the England fold under Gareth Southgate (Martin Rickett/PA)

Whether Tuchel can emulate the same ugliness and grit that got England to within 90 minutes of major silverware remains a key topic of debate. He was a master of tournament football at club level, famously guiding an unfancied Chelsea to the Champions League in 2020/21, but he’s a novice in the international game. It’s a completely different kettle of fish, and if his most recent international friendlies are to go by – an intensely underwhelming 1-0 win over minuscule Andorra and a shock 3-1 home loss to Senegal – Tuchel is still going through his teething stage, just 331 days before the 2026 World Cup gets underway.

If England are going to achieve their crowning glory in 12 months, their fairytale ending to so much footballing pain, Tuchel will need something special. He’ll need a man for the occasion. Palmer, with insider knowledge of how a Maga World Cup works and feels, could well be that man.

The Blues talisman has yet to fully establish himself as an indispensable part of the England setup – a common struggle for younger players in international football, which naturally favours the more experienced. But he’s already proven that he can deliver when it matters for England.

He came off the bench to score the equaliser in Berlin last year, firing in from range to provide a Southgate side devoid of any inspiration a glimpse of desperately needed hope in the final. His contribution proved in vain for England’s Euros dream, Mikel Oyarzabal instead snatching the title for Spain late on, but what it showed about the player still rings true.

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Palmer scored in the Euro 2024 final but England still slipped to defeat (Getty)

It’s this big-game energy that could make Palmer the key to England’s salvation for Tuchel. His supreme ability is complemented by a mentality that pays no interest to outside noise, staying unapologetically true to himself rather than bowing to the perfect PR image imposed on modern footballers.

It makes him a uniquely perilous threat, dangerously immune to the pressure – his “Cold Palmer” nickname is apt – and one whose mind is genuinely hard to get into as an opponent.

In light of his Club World Cup masterclass, it’s clearer than ever that Palmer can handle the heat. Levels are shown when difficult circumstances arise, and while many of the game’s top stars faltered in the brutal conditions of the US, Palmer looked unaffected.

Expect little to change in a year, which could make Palmer a World Cup cheat code for England.