Cole Jermaine Palmer[10] was born on 6 May 2002[11] inWythenshawe, Manchester.[12] He and his sister were raised by a dental engineer father and a dyslexia assessor mother.[13] Palmer's father playedSunday league football for nearly two decades, and Palmer regularly watched him.[13] Growing up in Wythenshawe, he started playing football in his local grassroots club NJ Wythenshawe.[14]
Palmer attended Gatley Primary School inStockport, and was later privately educated atSt Bede's College in partnership with the Manchester City Academy.[15][16]
Club career
Manchester City
Palmer in 2022
Despite being aManchester United fan,[13] Palmer joinedManchester City in 2010[17] at under-eight level and progressed through the Academy age groups beforecaptaining the under-18s during the2019–20 season.[12] He had faced concerns from the age of 14 that his physique was too slight for professional football, and academy coaches wanted to release him at 16, but academy directorJason Wilcox rejected their decision.[13]
On 30 September 2020, Palmer made hisfirst-team debut for City in a 3–0 away win overBurnley in the fourth round of theEFL Cup.[18] On 21 September 2021, he scored his first goal in a 6–1 home win overLeague One teamWycombe Wanderers in the third round of theEFL Cup.[19] On 16 October, Palmer made an appearance in thePremier League against Burnley, and scored a hat-trick for City's under-23 side that same night.[20] On 19 October, Palmer scored as a substitute in a 5–1 away win overClub Brugge in the group stage of theUEFA Champions League, marking his first goal inEuropean football.[21] On 7 January 2022, Palmer scored on hisFA Cup debut in a 4–1 away win overLeague Two teamSwindon Town.[22]
Palmer saw increased involvement during the2022–23 season, though still frequently featuring as a substitute. However, his 14Premier League appearances contributed to Manchester City's title-winning campaign, claiming the title. On 18 March 2023, he scored the team's fifth goal in a dominant performance againstBurnley during the FA Cupquarter-finals. Palmer also made four appearances during City's Champions League winning run.[23]
2023–24: Breakout season and young player of the season
Palmer with Chelsea in 2024
On 1 September, Palmer signed forPremier League clubChelsea on a seven-year contract, with the option of a further year.[27][28] Thetransfer fee was reported to be an initial £40 million, potentially rising by £2.5 million in add-ons.[28] He made his debut the following day as a 62nd-minute substitute in a 1–0 home defeat toNottingham Forest.[29] On 7 October, Palmer scored his first goal for Chelsea, from apenalty kick, while also providing the assist forNicolas Jackson's goal in a 4–1 away victory over Burnley.[30] On 6 November, Palmer registered a goal and an assist in a 4–1 away win atLondon rivalsTottenham Hotspur.[31] Six days later, Palmer scored a stoppage-time penalty against former club Manchester City, as the two teams played out a 4–4 draw atStamford Bridge.[32]
In Chelsea's final match of 2023, away toLuton Town, Palmerscored twice for the first time professionally, while also assistingNoni Madueke's goal, as Chelsea won 3–2.[33] As a result of his performances during December, which included four goals and two assists, Palmer was nominated for thePremier League Player of the Month award, and his second goal against Luton Town was nominated forPremier League Goal of the Month.[34][35] On 23 January 2024, Palmer scored another brace, this time in theEFL Cupsemi-finals, as Chelsea defeatedMiddlesbrough 6–1 (6–2 on aggregate) to advance to thefinal atWembley Stadium.[36] He scored his tenth league goal of the season on 4 February in a 4–2 home defeat toWolverhampton Wanderers, making him the first Chelsea player aged 21 or under to score 10 Premier League goals in a season.[37] On 29 February, he was named the Men's Young Player of the Year at the 2024 London Football Awards.[38][39] By assistingAxel Disasi's goal againstBrentford on 2 March, Palmer became the Chelsea player with the most goal contributions in a season aged 21 or younger, overtakingArjen Robben's tally of 16 contributions in2004–05.[40][41]
On 4 April, Palmer was nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award a second time after more impressive displays throughout March that saw him score three goals and provide two assists.[42] Later that day, he scored his first careerhat-trick, which included two goals scored deep into added time to complete Chelsea's comeback in a 4–3 home victory against Manchester United. By doing so, Palmer became the200th different player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick, as well as the third youngest to do so in a match against Manchester United.[43] Palmer's performance in this match enabled him to become the third ever recipient of thePremier League Game Changer of the Season award.[44] On 15 April, Palmer scored his second career hat-trick againstEverton in a 6–0 home win, finishing the match with four goals, and thus became the 31st Premier League player to score four or more goals in a league game,[45][46] and the first Chelsea player to score two Premier League hat-tricks for the club in a season.[47][48] He set a record for the fastestperfect hat-trick to be scored in the Premier League, completing it within 29 minutes.[49] Furthermore, he became the third player in the club's history to score at least 20 goals in his debut season, followingJimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in 2000–01 andDiego Costa in 2014–15.[50]
On 5 May, Palmer scored during a 5–0 home victory againstWest Ham United, becoming only the third player in Premier League history aged 21 or younger to contribute to 30 or more goals in a single season.[51] Palmer was then namedChelsea Players' Player of the Season as well asChelsea Player of the Season, voted for by supporters,[52] as well as being awarded the Premier League Player of the Month award for April 2024 and the Premier League Goal of the Month award for his first goal against Everton, becoming the first player in Chelsea history and the fifth player overall to win the Player of the Month and Goal of the Month awards in the same month.[53][54] On 11 May, Palmer made his 50th overall Premier League appearance, marking the occasion with an assist in a 3–2 away win at Nottingham Forest. By doing so, Palmer became the 13th player in Premier League history to score 20 or more goals and provide 10 or more assists in the same season.[55]
2024–25: Conference League and Club World Cup titles
Palmer in 2025
Before the start of his second season, Palmer signed a new, nine-year contract with Chelsea, keeping him at the club until at least June 2033.[63] On 20 August, Palmer was awarded thePFA Young Player of the Year award.[64] Five days later, he scored his first goal of the campaign againstWolverhampton Wanderers at theMolineux Stadium. This goal would go on to win thePremier League Goal of the Month award for August 2024, making Palmer the first player in Premier League history to win the award twice in a row across two seasons.[65] In the second half of the same match, Palmer assisted all three of Noni Madueke's goals, helping Chelsea defeat Wolves 6–2, with this performance being the catalyst of his nomination for August 2024'sPremier League Player of the Month award.[66][67]
In a 4–2 win againstBrighton & Hove Albion on 28 September, Palmer scored four goals in the first half, becoming the first player to achieve this feat in the Premier League.[68] On 11 October, Palmer was awardedPremier League Player of the Month for September, for his five goals and one assist during the month contributing to Chelsea's unbeaten record in September.[69]
On 1 December, Palmer scored his 30th goal in the Premier League againstAston Villa in a 3–0 home victory, making him the second-fastest Chelsea player to score 30 league goals, with onlyJimmy Floyd Hasselbaink achieving this feat in fewer matches.[70] The following week, he scored two penalties in a thrilling 4–3 victory over Tottenham, the second of which was apanenka.[71] With twelve penalties scored out of twelve penalties taken, Palmer's goals in this match earned him the outright Premier League record for the most penalties scored without a single miss, surpassingYaya Touré's previous record of eleven.[72][73] Throughout 2024, Palmer also broke the record for the Chelsea player with the most goal contributions in a calendar year in the Premier League, exceeding Hasselbaink's 36 goals and assists in 2001.[74][75]
However, Palmer then underwent a period of poor form;[76][77][78] amidst this, he missed a Premier League penalty for the first time against Leicester on 9 March 2025.[79] He failed to score in 11 Premier League matches by 21 April 2025.[76] On 25 April, managerEnzo Maresca stated that Palmer's recent struggles on the pitch were "a mental thing".[77] On 4 May 2025, he ended a goalless period of 18 games and 1,162 minutes with a goal against Liverpool.[78]
On 28 May 2025, Palmer was named man of the match after providing two assists in the2025 UEFA Conference League final againstReal Betis, helping Chelsea become the first team to win all four major European competitions.[80][81] Palmer was given the shirt number 10 before the2025 FIFA Club World Cup, signifying his importance to the club.[82] On 20 June, it was announced that Palmer was one of six nominees for thePFA Players' Player of the Year.[83] Later that year, on 13 July, he scored twice and provided an assist in a 3–0 win overParis Saint-Germain in the2025 FIFA Club World Cup final, where he was named player of the match. He finished the tournament with three goals and two assists, earning theGolden Ball as the tournament's best player.[84]
2025–26
On 7 February 2026, Palmer scored his fourth Premier League hat-trick againstWolverhampton Wanderers, with all three goals coming in the first half. With this feat, he became the first player to record three separate first-half hat-tricks in league history. His second goal, a penalty, also marked his 50th for Chelsea in all competitions.[85]
On 13 November 2023, Palmer received his first call-up to the seniorEngland national team ahead of theirUEFA Euro 2024 qualifying matches againstMalta andNorth Macedonia.[91][92] He made his debut on 17 November, coming on as a 61st-minute substitute in England's 2–0 victory against Malta at Wembley Stadium.[93]
In May 2024, Palmer was selected in the 33-man preliminary squad for theUEFA Euro 2024.[94] Palmer made his first England start and scored his first senior international goal in a pre-tournament friendly againstBosnia and Herzegovina on 3 June.[95] Three days later, he was named in coachGareth Southgate's final 26-man squad for the tournament.[96] He made his tournament debut as a substitute in England's finalGroup C match againstSlovenia on 25 June.[97] Five days later, he again appeared as a substitute, replacingKieran Trippier in the 66th minute of England's 2–1 extra time win overSlovakia in theround of 16.[98]
Palmer appeared as a 78th-minute substitute, replacingEzri Konsa in the quarter-final againstSwitzerland and scored the first kick of England's 5–3 penalty shootout win.[99] On 10 July, Palmer came off the bench withOllie Watkins in the 81st minute to assist the latter's winning goal in the 90th minute of the semi-final against theNetherlands, sending England to their second consecutive Euros final, and their first ever final on foreign soil.[100] Four days later, on 14 July, Palmer came off the bench in the 70th minute of thefinal againstSpain, and scored England's equaliser from outside the box just three minutes later. However, Spain went on to win the match 2–1.[101]
Aplaymaker, Palmer predominantly plays as an attacking midfielder in the number ten role, although he is also capable of playing as a winger on either flank. He is known for his record and mentality at penalties, passing, and dribbling, while also creating and scoring goals. He also often attempts long range shots and cuts inside the opposition line. While predominantly left-footed, he is also capable with his right foot.[4][105][106] He has been frequently described by media sources as among the best attacking midfielders in world football.[5][6][7]
CitingWayne Rooney as inspiration,[107] Palmer says he enjoys "street football style, playing freely and creatively".[108] Palmer has also been praised in the media for his ability to perform in big games and tournament finals, being described as a "big game player";[109][110] Palmer has himself said that he enjoys playing in finals.[111][112]
Reception
FormerBristol City andSunderland managerLee Johnson described Palmer as a "matador showing his shoulder" and praised his technical ability. Palmer's calmness on the pitch, especially when taking penalties was also lauded, earning him the nickname "Cold Palmer". He responded to this by celebrating goals with his arms crossed with hands rubbing his shoulders,[3] a move he has attributed to his former Manchester City teammateMorgan Rogers.[113][114]
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 10 February 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
^Twomey, Liam (6 June 2024)."Chelsea's Player of the Season: Cole Palmer".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Archived from the original on 21 August 2024. Retrieved21 August 2024.The raw numbers jump off the page: 22 goals and 11 assists making for 33 direct goal involvements in 33 Premier League appearances, only the third player aged 22 or younger to rack up 30 or more direct goal involvements in a single season in England's top flight this century (the other two beingErling Haaland last season andCristiano Ronaldo in 2007–08, the year he won his firstBallon d'Or).
^"Palmer 'stole' celebration – Rogers".BBC. UK. 3 October 2024. Archived fromthe original on 21 December 2024.Asked whether Palmer had stolen his celebration, Rogers said: Yeah, it's true. Cheeky boy, isn't he? He's run with it ... I'll let him have it – he's scored 40 goals or something stupid so I can't really argue with that, can I?
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