Ecuador: Five players to watch

Ecuador are out to make history on their return to the Fifa World Cup and will have the chance to do so in the opening match of Qatar 2022 against the tournament hosts.

Should the South Americans win that game, it will be the first-ever defeat for a host nation in the tournament curtain-raiser. La Tricolor reached the global finals thanks to an impressive qualification campaign in which they finished above Peru, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia and Venezuela.

Crucial to their success was the appointment of Gustavo Alfaro, who had a point to prove after parting company with Argentinian giants Boca Juniors. Ecuador, who reached the last 16 at Germany 2006 and last graced the World Cup at Brazil 2014, were anxious to atone for their failure to qualify for Russia 2018.

While frustration was the name of the game for the senior national team, the country’s young stars showed what they could do by winning the South American U20 Championship in 2019 and taking third place at the Fifa U20 World Cup later that year. Alfaro capitalised on their success by rebuilding the team around the young talents at his disposal.

“I could have just stuck with what we had and avoided taking any major risks, but if I had done that, I wouldn’t have been able to put my stamp on things,” he told Fifa+. “Alternatively, I could have taken the biggest risk possible because I thought things were destined to fail before we even got started, and if we managed to make progress, we could end up competing at the World Cup.”

ALFARO RESTORING PRIDE

The Argentinian won over the players and restored their pride in pulling on the national team jersey, a vital first step in putting together a side that recorded some unexpected wins on the road to Qatar 2022, not least the defeat of Chile in San Carlos de Apoquindo.

With their buoyant team spirit and the youngest average age in the Conmebol Zone, Ecuador went on to secure their ticket to the world finals. La Tri are determined to make the most of their strengths and work on their weaknesses and will be looking to the following five players to help them achieve those goals.

Piero Hincapie
Position: Defender
Age: 20

Ecuador’s Kaiser. A product of the prolific Independiente del Valle academy, Hincapie won the U-20 Copa Libertadores with the Ecuadorian club before moving to the Argentinian city of Cordoba to play for Talleres. Within a year he had established himself as a defensive mainstay of a side that was making waves on the domestic scene, and had earned a place in the Ecuador backline before excelling at the Copa America 2021. Europe was watching, and in August that year German club Bayer Leverkusen paid $7.5m for him, with 65 per cent of the fee going to Talleres.

Hincapie has all the qualities expected of the modern centre-half. Comfortable on the ball and blessed with a superb left foot, he has the technique, ability, drive and vision to build play, find space in behind opponents, and pick out his teammates with pinpoint passes.

In defence he is as reliable as they come. An aggressive tackler with a gift for reading the game and knowing when to intervene and how, he can snuff out attacks and set his side on the front foot. The willingness of left-back Pervis Estupinan to get forward can sometimes leave the Ecuador defence understaffed, which is where Hincapie comes in with his pace and ability to cover for his teammates and close down opponents. He is also a commanding presence in the air, thanks to his strength and spring.

Pervis Estupinan

Position: Defender
Age: 24

The flying left-back is one of Ecuador’s main attacking threats. He showcased his ability to get forward to great effect in Villarreal’s stunning run to the semifinals of the Uefa Champions League in 2021-22, a campaign in which the Yellow Submarine made history by beating both Juventus and Bayern Munich. After leaving Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito in 2016, Estupinan ran out for Udinese, Watford and several Spanish teams before arriving at the Estadio de la Ceramica.

The statistics show just how influential Estupinan is for Ecuador. He had more touches of the ball for La Tri in the South American qualifiers, and by a long way: 1 119 in all, with Moises Caicedo next on the list with 901. He also created more chances than any of his teammates – 22 in 17 matches – scored two goals and served up six assists. Not content with that, he excelled at the back, leading the way in ball recoveries along with Carlos Gruezo, though his determination to get forward does leave him exposed at times.

Strong and full of running from kick-off to the final whistle, Estupinan is a constant presence in attack. His precise crosses pose a threat to opposing defences, though he still has something to learn when it comes to retaining possession and not giving the ball away in dangerous situations. Villarreal was his second home but he left it for Brighton to join Graham Potter’s high-flying side as a replacement for Spanish full-back Marc Cucurella.

Moises Caicedo
Position: Midfielder
Age: 20

Caicedo is an essential cog in the Ecuador machine, with virtually everything going through him, both in attack and defence. An undisputed first choice from the first match of the qualification campaign, against Argentina at La Bombonera, he took up position on one side of the midfield, with Alan Franco on the other and Carlos Gruezo sitting in behind.

Regardless of the tactical system employed by Alfaro, Caicedo was the linchpin and driving force of the team and made his mark in every department. He completed 86.8 per cent of his passes and 85.3 per cent in the last third, created the third-highest number of chances, provided more assists than anyone else in the team (four), scored two goals, and recorded the third-highest number of ball recoveries.

After starting out as a central midfielder, he became a box-to-box player with much to offer in defence thanks to his impressive work rate and fitness, though he also has the vision to create in the final third and the drive to get in the box and score. Alfaro gave Caicedo his backing during his first year at Brighton, which was full of ups and downs.

“He’s having to adapt because he’s been out of action for a while, but he’s getting better and better,” said the coach. “We’re seeing how he performs, how he’s doing physically, and he’s on the up. There have been games in which he’s performed a number of roles.”

Regular football helped Caicedo rediscover his form, as he showed with an outstanding display in the draw with Argentina that brought Ecuador’s qualifying campaign to an end. In the meantime, the midfielder has earned star status at Brighton.

Given his excellent Premier League form, Caicedo could well be one of the most decisive young players at the upcoming World Cup. As Miguel Angel Ramirez, his former coach at Independiente del Valle, explained, he is a quietly influential figure who likes to let his football do the talking.

He said: “Moises leads by example, by the way he plays, and by his aggression on the pitch. He’s young but he doesn’t go around shouting his head off. He gets himself noticed through his play and he’s vital for La Tri.”

Gonzalo Plata
Position: Forward
Age: 21

The great hope of the new breed of young players that have breathed new life into the Ecuador lineup. Another talent to roll off the Independiente del Valle conveyor belt, Plata moved to Lisbon heavyweights Sporting in 2019 but failed to break into the first team and was loaned out to Valladolid, where he played an important in their promotion to LaLiga last season.

Having featured prominently for Ecuador’s youth teams, winning the adidas Bronze Ball at Poland 2019, Plata has gradually cemented his place in Alfaro’s starting XI. The youngster has forced his way into the European elite thanks to his gift for unsettling defences. Highly talented, he excels in one-on-one situations and can change the course of a game in the blink of an eye. Ecuador are hoping he can up his goal count and help fire their challenge at Qatar 2022.

Enner Valencia

Position: Forward

Age: 32

In a squad packed with youngsters, the Fenerbahce man is flying the flag for experience. Valencia starred at Ecuador’s last World Cup appearance, scoring goals against Switzerland and Honduras.

The team captain, he will have the task of showing Alfaro’s new faces the way in Qatar, while also coming up with the goals his country expects of him. With La Tri suffering from a lack of genuine finishers, Valencia will have a heavy burden on his shoulders.