From barefoot to Chelsea: Moises Caicedo inspires Ecuador's World Cup dream

Moises Caicedo, Chelsea's record-signing midfielder, will captain Ecuador at their fifth FIFA World Cup appearance. Still, his journey to football stardom began far from the glamour of the Premier League. Growing up as the youngest of ten siblings in Santo Domingo, Caicedo played barefoot on local pitches before being spotted by a coach at just five years old. In 2023, he signed a £150m deal with Chelsea, becoming an inspiration for young players in a city where sport offers an alternative to drug trafficking and poverty.

Al Jazeera's Farrah Esmail reports.

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