Ecuador A football crazy country, many fans are shocked to see the passion of Ecuadoreans for football, yet its amazing mind is that Ecuador has only played in 4 world Cups.
EcuadorThe deepest point in the competition was the last 16 in 2006 world Cup He has a modest history in South America as he reached the semi-finals of the Copa America only in 1993, which is the Copa América he hosted.
With that, Ecuador has produced great talents at the South American level and many players have played in Premier Leagues abroad. Here are 25 of Ecuador’s best players.
25. Carlos Muñoz
Carlos Muñoz was on his way to the top of Ecuadorean football and his late star had found his place at Barcelona in Ecuador where he became one of the club’s stars. On the Ecuadorean national team, Carlitos as he was known, scored 4 goals in 35 matches but unfortunately died in a car accident on December 26, 1993.
24. Eduardo Hurtado
El Tanque was literally that Eduardo Hurtado tank had a great physical presence and scored 26 goals in 76 games for Ecuador. Hurtado never made it to the World Cup, but before that he was one of the most important Ecuadorean footballers of his generation.
23. Jose Francisco Cefalos
Longtime goalkeeper Jose Francisco Cevallos was the mainstay of the World Cup in Ecuador in 2002. He was not the safest goalkeeper but he has been around for a long time, playing 89 times.
22. Ivan Kavides
Ivan Cavides scored the goal that put Ecuador in its first World Cup final and scored 17 goals in 57 matches. Exotic but skillful striker Ivan Cavides was the first Ecuadorean to play in Serie A and later in LaLiga, England, Portugal and more.
21. Jefferson Monteiro
Jefferson Montero winger fencing has played all over the world but has had success with Ecuador at the national team level. Jefferson Monteiro scored 10 goals in 64 matches and played in the 2014 World Cup.
20. Washington Munoz
Known for his deadly free-kick abilities, Washington Muñoz played in three World Cup tournaments for Ecuador, but was unable to reach the World Cup in 1966, 1970 and 1974.
19. Jorge Bolaños
Skilled midfielder Jorge Bolaños has played only 27 matches for the Ecuadorean national team, but domestically he has won seven Ecuadorean League titles for Emlec and Barcelona.
18. Christian Noboa
Talented and lying midfielder Christian Noboa has European skill and speed. Noboa played a career in Russia and has 4 goals in 84 matches with El Tricolor.
17. Ariel Graziani
Born in Argentina, Ariel Graziani made a name for himself in Ecuador and later made a name for himself in Major League Soccer and his native Argentina. At the international level, Graziani scored 15 goals in 34 matches due to his shyness to play in the 2002 World Cup.
16. Segundo Castillo
Segundo Castillo was a strong defensive midfielder for Ecuador from 2003 to 2016 in which he played 87 matches and scored 9 goals. Castillo played careers in Europe, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
15. Wagner Rivera
Wagner Rivera was a talented but undisciplined right back and a fantastic ball skill. Rivera played mostly for Ecuador during the 1998 tournament and even played with Romario and Bebeto at Flamengo.
14. Walter Ivy
Left side player El Tricolor assisted in the back and midfield in 121 matches and scored 8 goals. Walter Ivy was part of the Monterey team that won five titles during his tenure.
13. Felipe Caicedo
Felipe Caicedo was a strong and fast striker who at one point played for Manchester City. Felipe Caicedo scored 22 goals in 68 matches for Ecuador and played in the 2014 World Cup.
12. Louis Caporo
Highly respected by the likes of Diego Maradona, Luis Caporo has been Ecuador’s national team captain for many years and has been capped 100 times. Luis Caporo was an elegant and hardworking linebacker from 1985-2003.
11. Christian Benitez
Cristian Benitez has made a big hit with 24 goals in 58 appearances for the national team and 135 goals in 288 matches at club level. The striker’s life was cut short by a car accident. On July 29, 2013, Christian Benitez played in the 2006 World Cup with Los Tricolores.
10. Polo Carrera
A striker with tremendous skill, Polo Carrera has won tournaments in Uruguay and Ecuador. Regarded by many as the best striker in Ecuadorean football ever, he played for the national team at a time when players like Bolo Carrera were few and far between.
9. Evan Hurtado
The most capped Ecuadorean player of all time, Ivan Hurtado played 168 matches for Ecuador and scored 5 goals. Hurtado played in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and made 6 appearances in the Copa America.
8. Ulysses de la Cruz
Ulysses de la Cruz was a quick right winger who drove opponents crazy in the wings. De la Cruz will play in Scotland and the English Premier League and played in 101 matches with six goals and played in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
7. Edison Mendes
One of the first Ecuadorean players to truly have a solid career in Europe was Édison Méndez, jumping onto the scene in Eindhoven in Europe, but he was already a well-established defensive midfielder in the national team. Edison Mendes scored 18 goals in 111 international matches and scored the match-winning goal, Ecuador’s first World Cup win against Croatia in 2002.
6. Raul Aviles
Raul Aviles was a competent striker who played from 1987 to 1993 and in that short period he scored 16 goals in 55 matches for Ecuador. Raul Aviles participated in 4 Copa Americas.
5. Agustín Delgado
Agustín Delgado was Ecuador’s striker during the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, Agustín Delgado played in Mexico, England, Colombia and Ecuador, and in his international career he scored 31 goals in 71 appearances.
4. Inner Valencia
The nation’s all-time top scorer with 35 goals in 74 matches, Valencia scored three goals for Ecuador in the 2014 World Cup and is looking to 2022 as its crowning moment.
3. Antonio Valencia
Not many players play 339 games for Manchester United, and not many Ecuadoreans have ever led a team of this stature. Antonio Valencia had speed, vision, and something that many Ecuadoreans lack… adapting to a better, professional league.
2. Alberto Spencer
One of the greatest South American scorers of all time, unfortunately, Alberto Spencer has not played in the World Cup. He is the all-time top scorer of the Copa Libertadores and won 14 titles with Penarol of Uruguay.
1. Alex Aguinaga
The hallmark of the classic South American No. 10, Alex Aguinaga, was skill, speed and drive. No Ecuadorean has come close to the full pool like Alex Aguinaga, who played 109 matches, scored 23 goals and won the 2002 World Cup.
With this world cup prediction you can see all the possible outcomes of World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
