Ecuador forward Enner Valencia has handed over the captain's armband to Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo ahead of the team's round of 32 clash against Mexico at the Azteca on Wednesday morning.
The decision was announced by the 36-year-old Valencia in front of the squad over the weekend, following Ecuador's 2-1 group-stage victory over Germany.
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Caicedo, 24, has earned 64 caps since his senior international debut in October 2020.
He previously captained Ecuador during a friendly win against New Zealand in November and took the armband in the second half of the Germany match when Valencia was substituted.
The midfielder is known for his high-energy style and defensive contributions in the Premier League.
He recorded more interceptions than any other player in both the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons after joining Chelsea from Brighton in 2023 for a near-record fee of around €120 million.
"The way he played the ball with both feet, there was something special about it," said Ivan Guerra, who discovered Caicedo at age 13 during a street game, to The Athletic.
Caicedo has maintained a pass completion rate of over 90 percent overall and 89 percent on vertical forward balls last season, surpassing other English top-flight midfielders like Declan Rice.
"I won't stop until I collapse. I never give up.
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I'm used to playing like that," Caicedo told BBC Sport regarding his relentless work rate.
