Chelsea forward Cole Palmer arrived in St Kitts and Nevis on Monday night, two days after scoring twice and setting up another goal in the club’s 3–0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain that secured the FIFA Club World Cup in New Jersey. The 23-year-old, who was named player of the tournament, was greeted at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport by a troupe of masquerade dancers and hundreds of fans waving the twin-island federation’s flag. Deputy Prime Minister Geoffrey Hanley and Tourism Minister Marsha T. Henderson led the official reception, presenting Palmer with local memorabilia before he met Prime Minister Terrance Drew at Government House. Drew hailed the visit as a “powerful reminder of the strength of our diaspora” and gifted the striker a national-team shirt, saying his success could motivate the country’s 47,600 residents, especially aspiring footballers. Palmer was born in Manchester but holds citizenship through his grandfather, Sterry Palmer, who left the Caribbean nation for the UK in 1960. The player regularly displays both the English and Kittitian flags on his boots, symbolising his dual heritage. Island officials hope the high-profile homecoming will boost youth participation in sport and raise St Kitts and Nevis’s visibility ahead of the winter tourism season.