lIn September, in the sweltering night heat of Guayaquil, Ecuador ended its Conmebol War. World Cup qualifying with a 1-0 win over table leaders and defending champions Argentina. Enner Valencia, a 35-year-old journeyman and the country's top scorer, sealed the victory with a penalty in his 100th match. Monumental Stadium roared with ecstasy and emotion.
Both teams had already secured qualification for 2026 and the visitors played without Lionel Messi, who also bid farewell to qualification after his last game in Buenos Aires a few days earlier. But none of these stories mattered to Ecuadorian fans. They recognized the magnificent campaign as Tricolor finished second in the standings, their best result since the Conmebol qualifiers moved to a single table. This is despite the fact that the campaign began with a three-point penalty for using documents with false information to register Byron Castillo in the previous cycle.
This was a campaign of total sustainability; Ecuador also hasn't lost a game since September 6, 2024, losing 1-0 away to Brazil. They also conceded only one goal during this time, and only five in the entire qualification period.
Ecuador's trajectory may surprise some, but in reality it is a natural continuation of the growth of the domestic game, more players playing their part in Europe and a youth system that continues to produce stars. This is a national team that can compete for participation in the World Cup next summer. Now, as they prepare for two friendlies against two hosts – the United States and Mexico – the goal and message from Ecuador's perspective is simple: keep going.
“The challenge is to play these friendlies with the same level of intensity as official matches,” head coach Sebastian Beccacece said last week. “Both the USA and Mexico are very strong national teams and we want to beat them.”
Beccaseche, an Argentine, became Ecuador's head coach in August 2024, replacing Felix Sanchez following their defeat to Argentina in the quarter-finals of the Copa America. At 44, he is a fairly young coach and has never been an international coach. He also has no experience as a professional player. In Ecuador, he landed one of the most coveted jobs in South American football, working for a talented and hungry team that included Chelsea's Moises Caicedo and PSG centre-back Willian Pacho.
However, despite this perceived inconsistency, Beccacece has instilled defensive discipline in a team that is now masters of the counter-attack thanks to an abundance of balance and pace. Under Beccacece, the low block is their friend, especially when defending leads, and for them, defense—as they say—really wins championships. Because of this philosophy, some Ecuadorian media criticize the lack of offensive creativity. Among the South American teams that qualified for the World Cup, Ecuador was one of the top performers along with Paraguay. But for the team, their stingy defensive unit is a symbol of pride. .
“We don’t play with a back five,” said Angelo Preciado, an important member of the team, answering a question on the popular Ecuadorian show Marca 90. about the need to play with such an overloaded line. “I'm a big striker [first] but I try to help the defenders. It may be perceived as a defensive measure, but we play a different role.”
The role Preciado mentioned is the collective responsibility to protect the goalkeeper and make sure no one enters the box. This team has turned stubbornness into an art.
bee His lack of experience as a player meant he moved up the coaching ranks, eventually working very closely with Jorge Sampaoli as his assistant at the University of Chile, where they won virtually every domestic title and the Copa Sudamericana in 2011. This eventually led the pair to the national team during Chile's golden years, including the 2014 World Cup when Chile eliminated Spain in the round of 16. They were also a duo who led Chile to victory in the Copa America a year later. Following this, he joined Argentine club Defensa y Justicia before being approached by Sampaoli again, this time for Argentina's 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign.
He now leads a national team that has grown through continuous investment in the development of domestic youth and raising awareness around the world. Clubs such as Independiente del Valle and Liga de Quito have developed such strong projects at youth level that the country is now seen as a hub for European scouting. especially when it comes to central defenders. From the aforementioned Pacho to Piero Hincapie, the versatile defender who was part of Bayer Leverkusen's historic Bundesliga title in the 2023/24 season and now plays for Arsenal.
However, there are rising stars at every position. For example, Independiente del Valle has one of the best academies on the continent and continues to produce talents such as the aforementioned Caicedo, Preciado, Pacho and Club Brugge's Joel Ordóñez. There are also younger players such as 18-year-old Kendry Paes (on loan at Strasbourg from Chelsea) and 22-year-old Patrick Mercado. These clubs are now placing much more emphasis on infrastructure – analytical and technical – than ever before.
For the upcoming friendlies against the USMNT and Mexico, Ecuador will be without Flamengo's Caicedo, Jincapie and Gonzalo Plata to give them time to recover for their clubs as some of them are dealing with injuries. But for the other competitors, it's still a valuable chance to prove why they deserve a spot in next summer's tournament.
Regardless of availability, Beccacece doesn't really care whether it's just friendlies or not. He ended his press conference last week with a call to action and a warning to anyone who might underestimate his team.
“We are focused on delivering the greatest World Cup in the history of the national team,” he said.
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Luis Miguel Echegaray is a writer, analyst and presenter specializing in soccer and sports content that also appeals to U.S. Hispanic and younger audiences. He previously worked for ESPN, CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated and returns to the Guardian as a contributor.
