Chelsea superstar Moises Caicedo was left in tears after his nation, Ecuador, were dumped out of the World Cup at the hands of hosts Mexico.
His performances have come under scrutiny at times during this tournament, given the fact that his country’s hopes relied on his shoulders.
Caicedo was criticised early in the competition, although put in one of his legendary performances to help get them past Germany and book their place in the last 32.
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Ecuadorian media ‘surprised’ by Moises Caicedo vs Mexico
Their run came to an end with a 2-0 defeat against Mexico, and although El Futbolero rated the Chelsea man as one of their most impressive performers, they admitted they were ‘surprised’ by his performance.
They stated that the fact he remained the side’s set-piece taker ‘raised eyebrows’ amongst the Ecuadorians, given this does not play into his strengths.
They said: “Moisés Caicedo surprised everyone by once again dominating set pieces. During the match against Mexico, Moisés Caicedo was once again tasked with taking a large portion of Ecuador’s set pieces.
“The midfielder assumed responsibility for both corner kicks and several attacking free kicks, a decision that raised eyebrows given that his main strength usually lies in ball recovery and distribution. The coaching staff once again entrusted him with creating scoring opportunities through these types of plays.
“However, the Ecuadorian midfielder’s crosses lacked the expected precision throughout the match. At various points, his crosses were either too flat or too powerful, making it difficult for the Ecuadorian attackers to connect cleanly in the Mexican penalty area. This lack of effectiveness on set pieces ultimately proved to be an area where Ecuador failed to capitalize in a match where any opportunity could have changed the course of the game.
“Despite Ecuador’s defeat, Moisés Caicedo’s individual performance received a positive rating.”
Martin Keown had criticised Caicedo’s set-pieces during the draw against Curacao, however they did not learn from that lesson against Mexico.
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Caicedo will now be allowed a much-needed holiday after spending the best part of three years playing without a break.
This will come as a boost to Xabi Alonso, who officially signs in as Chelsea manager today and looks to get off to a quick start in charge.
There is growing confidence that he could continue his partnership with Enzo Fernandez in the heart of midfield, with Real Madrid seeming to struggle with the financial demands laid out by the Blues.
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