Caicedo’s Quiet Confidence Before the London Showdown
So, here’s the thing about Moisés Caicedo — for someone heading into one of the biggest Premier League clashes of the season, he simply cannot stop smiling. Even during what was supposed to be a serious interview ahead of Chelsea’s meeting with Arsenal, the Ecuadorian midfielder kept his grin firmly in place. Attempts to provoke a tougher expression didn’t work either. Tell him the photographer is an Arsenal fan? Still smiling. Suggest that the pictures might be sent to Declan Rice to look intimidating? Now he’s laughing even more.
That’s Caicedo in a nutshell. Soft-spoken, polite, and genuinely warm off the pitch, but utterly relentless once the whistle blows. At Chelsea, he’s become known for that mix of kindness and competitiveness — a player who is tough without being dirty, fierce without being reckless. If you have the ball, he will come for you. If you pass it, he will chase the next man. And right now, he’s playing the best football of his career.
But what’s most interesting is that he refuses to call himself the best defensive midfielder around. He’s quick to point out that there are many great players in his position, and insists he’s focused on becoming the best version of himself instead. He talks about adding more goals, more assists, more influence — tapping his stomach as he describes a feeling inside that he can offer even more than what we’re already seeing.
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Naturally, the conversation turns to Declan Rice. Their upcoming midfield battle is one of the biggest subplots of the London derby, and Caicedo knows it. He praises Rice openly, calling him one of the best, and says he’s excited for the duel. There’s no hostility in his voice at all — just the competitive hunger you’d expect from someone who loves being challenged at the highest level.
Caicedo also speaks honestly about the early criticism he faced after joining Chelsea for a record fee. He saw the comments. He read the doubts. But he never lashed out. Instead, he stayed patient, relied on his faith, and reminded himself that everything happens for a reason — including his decision to choose Chelsea over Arsenal and Liverpool. He says he wanted a club with ambition, one ready to believe in him. And Chelsea never doubted.
His journey from Ecuador, his parents seeing him off on his first flight, his promise to make them proud — all of it fuels him today. Now a father himself, he feels that drive even more deeply. And despite playing through pain at times, he refuses to step back.
So when asked whether Chelsea can hand Arsenal a reality check, he simply smiles again and says, “Why not? They’re doing really well — but we haven’t played them yet.”
That confidence? It’s calm. It’s genuine. And it’s coming from a player who feels like his story at Stamford Bridge is only just beginning.
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