Moises Caicedo paused for a moment before answering the question. Then, with a grin and a chuckle, he declared: “I am the best.”
The Chelsea FC man could have easily made that statement about his status as the world’s top midfielder, but in this case, it was regarding his place among the Blues’ table tennis elite.
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The Londoners have used the game to unwind and bond as a team during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. “It’s good, it’s fun playing with team-mates, laughing and having a good time,” added Caicedo in a pre-match session with reporters.
It has certainly helped, evidenced by their arrival to the semi-finals and a date on Tuesday against Brazil’s Fluminense FC at MetLife Stadium.
But Caicedo’s status among the best midfielders in the world has picked up steam due to his performances in the USA, even if he believes he is still some ways off.
“I am working on that because I want to become one of the best midfielders in the world,” said Caicedo. “I’m working hard every day and I want to show that every day on the pitch. I want to show my great football. It really doesn’t matter to me what other people are saying about me.”
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While the Ecuadorian is hesitant to rank himself toward the top of the list, the confidence with which he is playing is evident.
“I think I am showing my best version,” said Caicedo. “I still have a lot to improve. I always say that I have no limits and I want to be one of the best players in the world. I’m not yet at that level, but each day I’m trying harder.”
No better way to demonstrate that would be defeating the Brazilians in the final four and reaching Sunday’s decider against one of the past two winners of the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid C. F. or Paris Saint-Germain.
No stranger to Brazilian football, either through playing for the Ecuadorian national team or in the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores as a former member of Independiente del Valle, Caicedo knows a sturdy test awaits against Flu.
“They are strong both in defence and in attack with experienced players, like Thiago Silva, and up front with [German] Cano and [Jhon] Arias as well,” said Caicedo, who was suspended for the quarter-final against Palmeiras and is available on Tuesday. “They are very strong players that do a lot of damage going forward. We’ll have to be focused on that.
“These games are won with character more than quality. We know the two teams have quality, but you have to show more character in these matches to win them.”
Victory would put the Blues within reach of a second title for the season, following their triumph in the UEFA Conference League final in May, and reaching the Club World Cup mountain top would mean the world to Caicedo & Co.
“It would mean a lot [to win it],” he said. “We have two battles to go that are going to be very hard. Tomorrow we are going in with the mindset of winning, because we’re Chelsea and we want to win, and we have to show that we want to continue on here.”
