Antonio Valencia considers Moises Caicedo the most physically dominant player in football today.
Caicedo has given Chelsea a strong physical presence, and under Liam Rosenior’s management, the team has become more energetic and purposeful. This improvement is reflected in their statistics.
The Blues have completed 441 tackles this season, achieving a success rate of 59.76%. This better defensive discipline has helped them climb to fifth place in the league. They have also made 261 interceptions and cleared the ball 623 times.
Caicedo leads this effort, winning an average of 5.6 ground duels per game with an impressive success rate of 60.44%, even outperforming players like Declan Rice.
Antonio Valencia picks Moises Caicedo as the strongest player in football
Photo by Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Antonio Valencia played 325 Premier League matches, first for Wigan and then for Manchester United, where he won two league titles, an FA Cup, two League Cups, and a Europa League trophy.
As both are Ecuadorian, it was expected that Caicedo would look up to Valencia as a football idol.
Recently, Valencia expressed his admiration for Caicedo in a TikTok conversation with Benja Annun, calling him the strongest player in world football currently.
The discussion touched on various aspects of their games, and when it came to physical attributes, Caicedo was Valencia’s choice.
Antonio Valencia doubles down on praise for Caicedo
Valencia has a history of making bold statements. He previously named Caicedo among the top five players in football today.
“Caicedo is one of the five best midfielders globally. He didn’t have a preseason with Chelsea, but his performances are improving. His form on the national team is also encouraging for all Ecuadorians,” said the former full-back.
“We hope he continues to develop. He’s a humble and hardworking player. I’ve watched most of his games, and his performance is progressing.
“By the end of the season, I hope he will be recognized as the best in the Premier League.”
If Caicedo achieves similar success to Valencia during his Manchester United career, Chelsea supporters can expect exciting times ahead.