On the back of Chelsea’s impressive FIFA Club World Cup final victory over Paris Saint-Germain, Premier League legend Gareth Bale has backed the Blues to mount a title challenge in the upcoming domestic season.
Cole Palmer inspired the Blues to glory with a stellar performance in the New Jersey final, scoring twice and laying on an assist in the Blues’ 3-0 victory at the MetLife Stadium
Success in North America could be a real stepping stone for Enzo Maresca's team, and Bale has backed the Blues to go one step further in the months ahead, and throw down a real challenge to their EPL rivals.
Why Bale believes Chelsea can challenge for the Premier League title
Speaking on DAZN after the game, Bale heaped praise on Chelsea and directly addressed their chances of a title charge, with the former Tottenham star clear in his view.
"I do not think they are far away at all.
"Last season, they got to around Christmas, and everyone was talking about them being contenders. Obviously, they are a young team, and they kind of fell off, but I think they will learn a lot from that.
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"They have shown character as a team to come back and win the Conference League, and now win this. Confidence will be booming and they will have that self-belief now."
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Last season, Chelsea enjoyed a brilliant start, climbing to second place in the English top flight -and as Bale indicated - the Blues were considered as potential title contenders.
Unfortunately for Maresca, his team had a bit of a wobble during the festive period, and they fell off the pace in 2025.
Despite injuries to key players, and a quiet January transfer window, Chelsea managed to finish fourth and qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
However, with the Club World Cup title now in the bag, the Blues now have serious momentum behind them as Maresca's charges head off on their summer break until August.
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