Chelsea star Moises Caicedo delivered when it really mattered for his country as they survived an early World Cup exit in North America.
Ecuador needed to beat Germany in their final game to progress, and did so with a 2-1 win that showed why they impressed so much in qualification.
Caicedo was lauded by national media after a tough personal start to the tournament, giving out a timely reminder that he is one of the best in the world in his position.
RATE 1️⃣-🔟: Is Marco Palestra a good signing?
Serie A's Best Defender of 2025-26.
Pedri ranks Moises Caicedo as the best physical midfielder in the world
The Chelsea man is also recognised by his peers in this way. Former Brighton teammate Alexis Mac Allister has made it clear just how highly he rates the South American.
Now, Spain star Pedri has singled out Caicedo for praise, saying in a TikTok with Teledeporte that he is the best midfielder in the world in terms of physicality.
There are certainly limitations to his game in the technical areas. Caicedo was criticised for continuing to take set-pieces for Ecuador during the ongoing World Cup.
In terms of recovering possession though, there are few who can compete with the Chelsea man, and the stats suggest the Blues have one of the best in the world in that regard.
Where was that work rate in a Chelsea shirt last season?! 😮
Enzo Fernandez's stunning stats for Argentina vs Austria.
Moises Caicedo’s physicality stats 2025/26
Despite many believing Caicedo’s performances dropped off due to fatigue in the second half of the season, his stats still ranked among the best in the league.
No Premier League player made more interceptions than Caicedo last season, while he also ranked highly for tackles and duels won.
The Ecuador international was also high up for recoveries, a stat that is usually dominated by those who play for sides who do not have a lot of possession.
This is not the case with Chelsea, and Caicedo has a crucial role to play in that regard under Xabi Alonso, even more so if they do part ways with Enzo Fernandez this summer.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
