Jamie Carragher has sparked controversy among Chelsea supporters after downplaying their recent silverware, branding the club’s Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup triumphs as “Mickey Mouse trophies.”
The Blues returned to the Champions League for the first time since 2023 but suffered a 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night. Following the loss, Carragher questioned Chelsea’s direction under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, who have invested close to £2 billion in new players since taking charge in 2022.
Despite last season’s Conference League and Club World Cup victories under Enzo Maresca, Carragher suggested those successes masked deeper issues.
> “There is no right or wrong way to run a football club,” Carragher said. “But we can’t pretend this has been a success after three and a half years. A Mickey Mouse trophy, come on.”
The former Liverpool defender also highlighted Chelsea’s failure to build a squad stronger than their Premier League rivals despite their record spending.
“Chelsea were the third-best team when Thomas Tuchel was in charge, fresh off a Champions League win. They changed managers, spent £2bn, and are now further away from competing than they were back then,” he added.
Carragher further criticised the club’s controversial financial maneuvers, including the sale of their women’s team to themselves in order to balance the books, which led to UEFA fines.
With Chelsea struggling to find consistency despite massive investment, Carragher’s comments are sure to fuel further debate about the Boehly-era project at Stamford Bridge.
