Felipe Caicedo

Felipe Salvador Caicedo Corozo (born 5 September 1988 in Guayaquil) is an Ecuadorian Association football who plays as a Forward (association football) for Sporting Clube de Portugal, on loan from Manchester City F.C., in the Portuguese Liga.

Club career

Basel

Caicedo was signed by Swiss Super League side FC Basel from Rocafuerte Fútbol Club in Felipe Caicedo native Ecuador during the Swiss 2005–06 season for an undisclosed fee while Felipe Caicedo was just 17 years old. Due to Felipe Caicedo extreme youth Felipe Caicedo was trained in the minor divisions. Felipe Caicedo went on to play 20 games for Basel in the following 2006–07 season, accompanied by 3 Swiss League goals. Clubs from La Liga, Premier League, and Serie A were monitoring Felipe Caicedo progress, with AC Milan said to have made an enquiry in winter of 2007.

Manchester City

On 31 January 2008, it was announced that Manchester City had secured Caicedo's services on a 4 and a half year deal through a £5.2 million transfer fee, (7 million Euros) which would make Felipe Caicedo sale one of the highest transfer in the history of the Swiss League. Felipe Caicedo transfer to Manchester City was completed after Caicedo was granted a work permit. Caicedo was described by Felipe Caicedo manager as one of the great South American talents and was also compared to Adriano Leite Ribeiro. Felipe Caicedo made Felipe Caicedo debut on 10 February 2008 in a 2–1 away win against rivals Manchester United F.C., coming on in the second half. Felipe Caicedo ended the season with 10 appearances in the Premier League, all of them coming on as a substitute.

2008-09

Caicedo scored Felipe Caicedo first goal for Man City in an UEFA Cup game against Racing Santander. Felipe Caicedo scored Felipe Caicedo second consecutive goal with a back heel in a English Premier League game against West Bromwich Albion Football Club, but the goal was officially ruled as an own goal, because it hit the post and then the goalkeeper to be finally in. The goal was later given back to Caicedo after reconsideration from the Dubious Goals Committee. After these solid performances, both coming off the bench, Mark Hughes gave Felipe Caicedo the opportunity to start Felipe Caicedo first game in the English Premier League and Felipe Caicedo went on to score for the third game in a row, this time scoring the first two goals against Hull City on December 26, 2008, in a 5–1 victory, taking Felipe Caicedo goal tally up to 4. Felipe Caicedo started against Blackburn Rovers on December 28, 2008. Caicedo opened the scoring in the first leg of the UEFA Cup last 16 tie with Aalborg at the City of Manchester stadium. Manchester City won the game 2–0. Caicedo scored Felipe Caicedo sixth goal of the season for Manchester City against SV Hamburg on 16 April, 2009, but City exited the cup due to 4-3 aggregate defeat. Caicedo has continued to impress a large number of Manchester City fans with Felipe Caicedo strong performances as a single striker with the ability to hold up the ball in key areas and shrug off defenders. Felipe's 7th Manchester City goal came in City's 3-1 home win over Blackburn Rovers, 2 May 2009.
Caicedo scored Felipe Caicedo 8th goal for Manchester City in the 1-0 win over Bolton Wanderers F.C. on the last day of the season at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Sporting Clube de Portugal

With the arrival of the 2008–09 season, Caicedo was tipped to leave City in order to get experience at a starting level, especially after the citizens signed Roque Santa Cruz, Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos Tévez. So, on 23 July 2009, Sporting Clube de Portugal and Manchester City FC reached a one-year loan deal with option of a permanent deal , that will allow Felipe Caicedo to be part of their squad for the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League.

International career

Previous to that Felipe Caicedo had earned a few caps for the Ecuador national football team, including a very prestigious friendly match at the age of 16 against Italy national football team in mid-2005, despite failing to get a call-up for the 2006 FIFA World Cup squad, Felipe Caicedo is seen as one of Ecuador's most exciting players of the generation. Caicedo has represented the Ecuador national football team at under-20 and at full international level. In 2007 Felipe Caicedo was selected to play for Ecuador in the 2007 South American Youth Championship. Moreover, Caicedo was chosen to play for Ecuador national football team by coach Luis Fernando Suárez for two international friendlies against the United States men's national soccer team, in which Felipe Caicedo scored one goal, and Mexico national football team on March 25 and 28, 2007, respectively.

Caicedo was picked for the Ecuador national football team squad to compete in the 2007 Copa America and given the number 10 shirt. Felipe Caicedo made appearances in all three losses to Chile national football team, Mexico national football team, and Brazil national football team as a substitute but impressed greatly Felipe Caicedo talent and skill.

Felipe Caicedo is considered by many people including journalists as the second best Ecuadorian player of this generation after Manchester United F.C.'s Midfielder Winger Antonio Valencia. On February 10 2009 Caicedo scored the winning goal in a 3–2 victory against England's U-21 team.

Racist abuse

On 25th June, 2009 Caicedo issued a writ alleging racist discrimination against himself from restaurant owners in Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city, where Felipe Caicedo was spending Felipe Caicedo post-season holiday with Felipe Caicedo family. Caicedo was reportedly searched and was asked to identify himself, a treatment Felipe Caicedo considered to be worthy of a 'delinquent'. The restaurant leadership claimed it was a necessary action, owing it to the increased delinquency in Guayaquil.

Trivia

Caicedo is the only Ecuadorian footballer to have started Felipe Caicedo career in Europe, when Felipe Caicedo made Felipe Caicedo debut in 2006 for FC Basel.