Chelsea ace Cole Palmer explains why he put his Player of the Match award inside his shorts after image from Europa Conference League final goes viral

Cole Palmer gave a four-word response while explaining why he tucked his Player of the Match award into his shorts after Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League triumph. The 23-year-old starred on a chilly night in Poland as the Blues defeated Real Betis 4-1.

Palmer has experienced a rollercoaster of a campaign this season. The Englishman began the season where he left off last year, but struggled in the final third for several weeks after the new year. However, he reminded everyone of his talent again in the Conference League final on Wednesday.

It seemed the football world was set to witness another underdog victory in the final after Real Betis scored an early goal and remained ahead past the hour mark. In a display of football prowess, Cole Palmer turned the game around in five second-half minutes, providing assists to Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas to put Chelsea in front. Jadon Sancho and Moises Caicedo would later score the final two goals.

Palmer was rightfully named man of the match for his heroics. During a post-match interview, Palmer was asked by CBS Sports’ host Anita Nneka Jones why he tucked his awards down his shorts, to which he replied:

"I got no pockets, so…"

Since joining Chelsea in 2023, Palmer has arguably been one of the club’s standout players. Following his two assists last night, he now has five goal contributions in five finals at the senior level. He has also scored or assisted in consecutive European finals. The Conference League marks his fifth trophy at the senior level.

Cole Palmer says he and his Chelsea teammates proved their character after comeback win against Real Betis

Cole Palmer was pleased with his and his teammates' performance in the final against Real Betis, especially in the second half. While Chelsea had more possession in the first half, they posed little threat upfront, as Betis had more touches in the opposition box, more shots, more shots on target, and scored more goals.

A shift in focus allowed the Blues to change the tide of the game, chiefly orchestrated by Palmer. Speaking on how the victory felt, Palmer told the media (via the club’s website):

‘It’s a good feeling for us and the fans. We picked up the intensity in the second half and put on a good performance.

‘I think we showed on Sunday we could go to a tough place and win and tonight, even when we were losing, I felt we showed good character again to come back.’