Moises Caicedo appears to be a huge fan of two former Chelsea players, recently praising the duo.
Caicedo was asked to name his all-time XI of favourite footballers and included the two ex-Chelsea players.
There was no room for the likes of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, though. Lampard was one of the greatest midfielders of his era but has still been snubbed by Caicedo.
Another Chelsea legend, John Terry, lauded Caicedo before the Conference League final, so his talent has also been recognised.
Moises Caicedo includes Thiago Silva and N’Golo Kante in all-time favourite XI
Caicedo had the opportunity to play alongside Thiago Silva for one season, and the Brazilian was able to leave an impression on the midfielder.
When asked to name his all-time favourite XI by Chelsea’s official website, Caicedo included his former teammate and explained: “I learned so much from him. His character off the pitch was amazing. Such a good guy who always tried to help us in any way.
“He brought his quality and his intelligence from everything he had done in his career to us. The way he trained, he worked so hard. He was an inspiration for us.”
The Ecuadorian never got a chance to line up alongside N’Golo Kante, but he has seen enough of the World Cup winner to also include him.
On Kante, Caicedo said: “Kante is so good at defending. He fights for every ball. He is so consistent, always showing his best. He has high standards.”
| Position | Player |
| Goalkeeper | Manuel Neuer |
| Right-back | Antonio Valencia |
| Centre-back | Sergio Ramos |
| Centre-back | Thiago Silva |
| Left-back | Roberto Carlos |
| Central midfielder | N’Golo Kante |
| Central midfielder | Zinedine Zidane |
| Central midfielder | Yaya Toure |
| Right wing | Lionel Messi |
| Striker | Cristiano Ronaldo |
| Left wing | Neymar |
Silva left Chelsea last year, while Kante departed in 2023. During the 2024/25 Premier League season, Arsenal legend Ian Wright discussed Silva, suggesting that the Blues made a mistake letting him go.
Central defence is an area the club could strengthen this summer. Chelsea are interested in signing Jarrad Branthwaite, for example, though his price tag could be a problem.
Yoane Wissa explains why Thiago Silva is so hard to play against
In addition to Wright and Caicedo, Silva also has another fan in Brentford forward Yoane Wissa.
Wissa is a top forward, scoring 19 goals in 35 Premier League appearances this season. However, the 28-year-old has struggled against Silva in the past and explained why.
Wissa discussed both Silva and Virgil van Dijk last month and said: “Silva is so clever. I don’t say Van Dijk is not clever, but Thiago Silva is so clever. He’s always a step ahead of you. Honestly, he’s so good.”
Chelsea’s current crop of central defenders are not bad, but if they had Silva’s experience this term, Enzo Maresca‘s side may have finished higher in the table.
