Qualification Summary
- 4th place in CONMEBOL (26 points)
- 18 matches (7 wins, 5 draws, 6 losses)
- 27 goals, 19 conceded (+8 goal difference)
- Top scorer: Michael Estrada (6)
Meet the Manager
Ecuador will be led by 60-year-old Gustavo Alfaro of Argentina. Alfaro is well experienced in his native Argentina, leading many clubs over the last 30 years, including the prestigious Boca Juniors. Besides a short stint with Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, he has been in Argentina throughout his career. Ecuador was his first job in international management, taking over La Tri in August 2020, just a few months before the start of World Cup qualifying. Under his leadership Ecuador have won 11 matches, drawn 10, and lost 8, posting a +8 goal difference.
World Cup History
2022 will mark the 4th time that La Tri has qualified for the World Cup, following the teams of 2002, 2006, and 2014. 2006 was the only edition where they were able to advance past the group stage, losing 1-0 to England in the round of 16. However, they have shown that they can typically hold their own, as they've managed to win at least one match in each of their three previous appearances on the global stage.
Moises Caicedo - midfielder - Brighton and Hove Albion (England)
Full of energy, Caicedo is one of the best under-21 midfielders in Europe. Already a regular for Brighton in the Premier League and for his nation, he's picked up 23 caps and only turns 21 two weeks before the start of the tournament. He has reportedly been on the radar of clubs such as Liverpool and Chelsea, and the World Cup could provide the stage for him to announce himself to a global audience.
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| Pervis Estupiñán |
Pervis Estupiñan - left-back - Brighton and Hove Albion (England)
Estupiñan moved to Brighton in the summer after two successful seasons in Spain with Villarreal. He is known for flying forward and joining the attack, and will be responsible for a lot of the creativity in the final third for the Ecuadorians.
Enner Valencia - striker - Fenerbahçe (Turkey)
After scoring three times for Ecuador in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Valencia has gone on to become the nation's all-time leading scorer with 35 goals and currently captains the side. The feisty forward has had spells in Mexico and England, and has enjoyed a prolific start to the season, scoring for fun in both the Turkish Super Lig and the UEFA Europa League.
Michael Estrada - striker - Cruz Azul (Mexico)
Ecuador's top goalscorer throughout qualifying with 6 goals, Estrada is a physical presence up front. He has struggled with his consistency throughout his career, including during a loan spell with D.C. United earlier this year, but when he is in form he can be a handful for defenders.
Gonzalo Plata - winger - Real Valladolid (Spain)
An extremely crafty and creative winger, Plata is hard for defenders to stay in front of. Although he is sometimes criticized for his decision-making and end product, he is quick enough, strong enough, and direct enough to be a constant threat.
Piero Hincapié - center-back - Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
One of the most underrated defenders in the tournament, Hincapié is physical, aggressive, and athletic. He is good on the ball, an aerial threat on set pieces, and at just 20 years old already looks like he will be an incredible leader of the Ecuadorian back line for. a long time. He got a move to Bayer Leverkusen in the 2021 summer transfer window, and a year of Bundesliga experience will surely benefit him before the World Cup.
Tactical Preview
Ecuador have typically lined up in either a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 under Gustavo Alfaro. Their well-organized back line was their key to getting to Qatar. They have physical, aggressive defenders in Preciado, Hincapié, and Torres. The defense takes a hit with the potential absence of center-back Robert Arboleda, who fractured his ankle while playing for São Paolo in June. However, the group had the third strongest defense in South American qualifying, and could cause serious problems for opposing attackers in Qatar.
When they win the ball, Ecuador will look to hit their opponents on the counter attack using their pace. They are full of young, quick, and creative players on the wings who are the focal point of their attacks. Players such as Estupiñán and Gonzalo Plata will look to beat their man out wide before crossing towards physical strikers like Michael Estrada, Leonardo Campana or the World Cup veteran Enner Valencia.
Predicted line-up (4-3-3):
GK: Alexander Domínguez
RB: Ángelo Preciado
CB: Félix Torres
CB: Piero Hincapié
LB: Pervis Estupiñán
DM: Carlos Gruezo
MF: Alan Franco
MF: Moises Caicedo
RW: Gonzalo Plata
LW: Romario Ibarra
CF: Michael Estrada
World Cup Schedule
Qatar - November 20, Al-Khor
Netherlands - November 25, Al Rayyan
Senegal - November 29, Al Rayyan
