Ecuador national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ecuador

Nicknames	La Tri (The Tri) La Tricolor (The Tricolours) La Selección (The Selection)
Association	Federación Ecuatoriana de Fútbol (FEF)
Confederation	CONMEBOL (South America)
Head coach	Sebastián Beccacece
Captain	Moisés Caicedo
Most caps	Iván Hurtado (168)
Top scorer	Enner Valencia (49)
Home stadium	Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado
FIFA code	ECU
First colours Second colours Third colours
FIFA ranking
Current	58 1 (7 February 2019)
Highest	10 (June 2013)
Lowest	71 (November 2017)
First international
Bolivia 1–1 Ecuador  (Bogotá, Colombia; 8 August 1938)
Biggest win
Ecuador 6–0 Peru  (Quito, Ecuador; 22 June 1975)
Biggest defeat
Argentina 12–0 Ecuador  (Montevideo, Uruguay; 22 January 1942)
World Cup
Appearances	5 (first in 2002)
Best result	Round of 16 (2006)
Copa América
Appearances	30 (first in 1939)
Best result	Fourth place (1959, 1993)
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2002)
Best result	Group stage (2002)

The Ecuador national football team, often called La Tricolor (meaning "The Tricolours"), represents the country of Ecuador in international men's football matches. This team is managed by the Ecuadorian Football Federation, known as FEF. They became part of FIFA in 1926 and joined CONMEBOL, the South American football confederation, a year later.

Ecuador's team first played in the FIFA World Cup in 2002. Before that, they had turned down an invitation to the very first World Cup in 1930. Their 2002 qualification was exciting, with talented players like Agustín Delgado and Iván Hurtado leading the way. These players helped set the stage for the team's future successes. A big moment was reaching the Round of 16 in the 2006 World Cup. In the Copa América, South America's main tournament, Ecuador's best results were finishing fourth in 1959 and 1993, both times when they hosted the event.

Most of Ecuador's home games are played at the Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito.

About the Ecuador National Football Team

A Look at Their History

Historically, Ecuador's football team faced many challenges in South America. However, in recent years, they have grown into a strong competitor.

Early Days of Ecuadorian Football

Football arrived in Ecuador thanks to Juan Alfredo Wright, who returned from studying in England. In 1899, he and his brother Roberto started the first Ecuadorian football team, Guayaquil Sport Club. As more people became interested in the sport, new teams were formed. In 1925, the national sports federation was created. In 1930, FIFA invited Ecuador to play in the first-ever World Cup. However, the government at the time decided not to send a team.

First Big Tournaments

Ecuador played its first official match on August 8, 1938, at the 1938 Bolivarian Games. They drew 1–1 with Bolivia. They later beat Colombia 2–1. After some more games, Ecuador won the bronze medal in the tournament.

The Ecuador squad that participated at the 1942 South American Championship

In 1959, Ecuador finished fourth in the South American Championship. After this, they tried to qualify for the 1962 FIFA World Cup but were unsuccessful.

Reaching the World Cup Stage

The qualifying system for the 1998 FIFA World Cup changed to a home-and-away league format. This new system helped Ecuador a lot, as they won many important games at home. They finished 6th in their group, showing great improvement.

Michael Arroyo taking a free kick against Switzerland at the 2014 World Cup

Under coach Hernán Darío Gómez, Ecuador had a historic 1–0 win against Brazil during the 2002 World Cup qualifiers. A big 5–1 win over Bolivia meant La Tricolor only needed one point to qualify for the World Cup. They achieved this by drawing 1–1 with Uruguay, securing their first-ever spot in the World Cup in East Asia.

In the 2002 World Cup, Ecuador lost 2–0 to Italy. Agustín Delgado scored Ecuador's first World Cup goal in a 2–1 loss to Mexico. Even though they beat Croatia, Ecuador finished fourth in their group and did not advance.

After a disappointing 2004 Copa América, Luis Fernando Suárez became the new coach. He led the team to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In Germany, Ecuador was in a group with the hosts, Germany, Poland, and Costa Rica. Wins against Poland and Costa Rica helped Ecuador reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history.

Recent Challenges and Triumphs

After the 2014 FIFA World Cup and some tough Copa América tournaments, Gustavo Quinteros was hired to rebuild the team. He helped Ecuador reach the quarter-finals of the Copa América Centenario in 2016. The team started the 2018 World Cup qualifiers strongly but eventually finished eighth.

Hernán Darío Gómez returned as coach for the 2019 Copa América, but his second time with the team was short. Ecuador had a difficult tournament and he was soon replaced.

For the qualifying matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ecuador faced a penalty. This was because a player had issues with his official documents during a previous World Cup qualification. As a result, Ecuador started the qualifiers with three points deducted and also received a fine.

Their Home Ground: Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa

Aerial view of the Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in 2017

The Ecuador national team plays most of its home games at the Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito. This stadium opened in 1951 and originally held 45,000 people. Its capacity was later adjusted to 35,724.

The stadium also has a running track, which has been important for many athletic events in South America. There are 15 gates around the stadium, allowing everyone to leave safely in about 10 minutes. An electronic scoreboard, 10 meters tall and 30 meters wide, was installed in 1985.

Many memorable matches have taken place here. Ecuador defeated Uruguay in the 1993 Copa América and Brazil during the 2002 World Cup qualifiers. A 1–1 draw with Uruguay in 2001 at this stadium secured Ecuador's first World Cup qualification.

The Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa was planned for demolition in late 2020 to make way for a new stadium. However, Ecuador decided not to host the 2024 Copa América. For the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Ecuador played at the Casa Blanca stadium.

The Team's Look: Uniform and Emblem

The Ecuador team posing before facing Argentina in October 2017

Ecuador's standard uniform uses the colors of the national flag: usually a yellow jersey, blue shorts, and red socks. Sometimes, they wear an alternate uniform of white and blue, inspired by the flag of the Guayas Province.

From 1965 to 2020, the team's badge featured the Andean condor, Ecuador's national bird. In January 2020, the Ecuadorian Football Federation introduced a new logo. It's a navy blue shield with the letters "FEF" designed to look like a condor.

Kit Sponsorship

Kit supplier	Period
Adidas	1985
Credeport	1986–1990
Puma	1991–1992
Reebok	1993–1994
Marathon	1994–present

Recent Match Results

The Ecuador national team has played several matches recently. Here are some of their results from 2025 and 2026:

      Win       Draw       Loss

• September 4, 2025: Ecuador drew 0–0 against Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier.
• September 9, 2025: Ecuador won 1–0 against Argentina in a World Cup qualifier.
• October 10, 2025: Ecuador drew 1–1 against the USA in a friendly match.
• October 14, 2025: Ecuador drew 1–1 against Mexico in a friendly match.
• November 13, 2025: Ecuador drew 0–0 against Canada in a friendly match.
• November 18, 2025: Ecuador won 2–0 against New Zealand in a friendly match.
• March 27, 2026: Ecuador drew 1–1 against Morocco in a friendly match.
• March 31, 2026: Ecuador drew 1–1 against the Netherlands in a friendly match.
• May 30, 2026: Ecuador won 2–1 against Saudi Arabia in a friendly match.
• June 7, 2026: Ecuador won 3–0 against Guatemala in a friendly match.
• June 14, 2026: Ecuador lost 1–0 against Ivory Coast in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group Stage.
• June 20, 2026: Ecuador drew 0–0 against Curaçao in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group Stage.
• June 25, 2026: Ecuador won 2–1 against Germany in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group Stage.
• June 30, 2026: Ecuador lost 2–0 against Mexico in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32.

Who Leads the Team? Coaching Staff

Current head coach Sebastián Beccacece

The coaching staff helps the team prepare for matches and improve their skills.

Position	Name
Head coach	Sebastián Beccacece
Assistant coach	Nicolás Chiesa Guillermo Marino
Goalkeeper coach	Gustavo Campagnuolo
Fitness coach	Martín Bressan

Meet the Players

Here are the 26 players who were part of the squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Their caps (games played) and goals are updated as of June 30, 2026, after the match against Mexico.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Hernán Galíndez	(1987-03-30) 30 March 1987 (age 39)	39	0	Huracán
12	1GK	Moisés Ramírez	(2000-09-09) 9 September 2000 (age 25)	7	0	Kifisia
22	1GK	Gonzalo Valle	(1996-02-28) 28 February 1996 (age 30)	4	0	LDU Quito
2	2DF	Félix Torres	(1997-01-11) 11 January 1997 (age 29)	50	5	Internacional
3	2DF	Piero Hincapié	(2002-01-09) 9 January 2002 (age 24)	56	3	Arsenal
4	2DF	Joel Ordóñez	(2004-04-21) 21 April 2004 (age 22)	20	0	Club Brugge
6	2DF	Willian Pacho	(2001-10-16) 16 October 2001 (age 24)	38	2	Paris Saint-Germain
7	2DF	Pervis Estupiñán	(1998-01-21) 21 January 1998 (age 28)	56	5	Milan
17	2DF	Ángelo Preciado	(1998-02-18) 18 February 1998 (age 28)	59	0	Atlético Mineiro
25	2DF	Jackson Porozo	(2000-08-04) 4 August 2000 (age 25)	11	1	Tijuana
5	3MF	Jordy Alcívar	(1999-08-05) 5 August 1999 (age 26)	12	1	Independiente del Valle
8	3MF	Anthony Valencia	(2003-07-21) 21 July 2003 (age 22)	3	1	Antwerp
9	3MF	John Yeboah	(2000-06-23) 23 June 2000 (age 26)	27	3	Venezia
10	3MF	Kendry Páez	(2007-05-04) 4 May 2007 (age 19)	27	2	River Plate
14	3MF	Alan Minda	(2003-05-14) 14 May 2003 (age 23)	21	2	Atlético Mineiro
15	3MF	Pedro Vite	(2002-03-09) 9 March 2002 (age 24)	21	1	UNAM
18	3MF	Denil Castillo	(2004-03-24) 24 March 2004 (age 22)	5	0	Midtjylland
19	3MF	Gonzalo Plata	(2000-11-01) 1 November 2000 (age 25)	54	9	Flamengo
21	3MF	Alan Franco	(1998-08-21) 21 August 1998 (age 27)	62	1	Atlético Mineiro
23	3MF	Moisés Caicedo	(2001-11-02) 2 November 2001 (age 24)	65	3	Chelsea
26	3MF	Yaimar Medina	(2004-11-05) 5 November 2004 (age 21)	7	0	Genk
11	4FW	Kevin Rodríguez	(2000-03-04) 4 March 2000 (age 26)	35	2	Union Saint-Gilloise
13	4FW	Enner Valencia (captain)	(1989-11-04) 4 November 1989 (age 36)	109	49	Pachuca
16	4FW	Jordy Caicedo	(1997-11-18) 18 November 1997 (age 28)	23	4	Huracán
20	4FW	Nilson Angulo	(2003-06-19) 19 June 2003 (age 23)	18	3	Sunderland
24	4FW	Jeremy Arévalo	(2005-03-19) 19 March 2005 (age 21)	4	0	VfB Stuttgart

Honoring a Special Player

After the sad passing of Christian Benítez, the Ecuadorian Football Federation decided to retire his jersey number 11. This meant no other player would use that number to honor him. However, due to FIFA rules, the number had to be used again for the 2014 World Cup squad, where Felipe Caicedo wore it.

Team Records: Top Players

These tables show some of the most impressive records held by players on the Ecuador national team. Players whose names are in bold are still actively playing for Ecuador.

Most Games Played for Ecuador

Iván Hurtado is Ecuador's most capped player, with 168 appearances.

Ecuador's Top Goal Scorers

Enner Valencia is Ecuador's top scorer with 49 goals.

Ecuador in Big Competitions

FIFA World Cup Journeys

Ecuador has participated in the FIFA World Cup several times, showing their growth in international football.

FIFA World Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1930	Did not enter										Declined invitation
1934											Did not enter
1938
1950	Withdrew										Withdrew
1954	Did not enter										Did not enter
1958
1962	Did not qualify										2	0	0	2	3	11
1966											5	2	1	2	7	7
1970											4	0	1	3	2	8
1974											4	0	2	2	3	8
1978											4	0	1	3	1	9
1982											4	1	1	2	2	5
1986											4	0	1	3	4	11
1990											4	1	1	2	4	5
1994											8	1	3	4	7	7
1998											16	6	3	7	22	21
2002	Group stage	24th	3	1	0	2	2	4	Squad		18	9	4	5	23	20
2006	Round of 16	12th	4	2	0	2	5	4	Squad		18	8	4	6	23	19
2010	Did not qualify										18	6	5	7	22	26
2014	Group stage	17th	3	1	1	1	3	3	Squad		16	7	4	5	20	16
2018	Did not qualify										18	6	2	10	26	29
2022	Group stage	18th	3	1	1	1	4	3	Squad		18	7	5	6	27	19
2026	Round of 32	TBD	4	1	1	2	2	4	Squad		18	8	8	2	14	5
2030	To be determined										To be determined
2034
Total	Round of 16	5/23 (WC Apps)	17	6	3	8	16	18	—		179	62	46	71	210	226

Copa América Adventures

The Copa América is the oldest international football competition. Ecuador has been a regular participant.      Champions       Runners-up       Third place       Fourth place  

South American Championship / Copa América record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad
1916	No national representative
1917
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925	Not a CONMEBOL member
1926
1927	Did not participate
1929
1935
1937
1939	Fifth place	5th	4	0	0	4	4	18	Squad
1941		5th	4	0	0	4	1	21	Squad
1942	Seventh place	7th	6	0	0	6	4	31	Squad
1945		7th	6	0	1	5	9	27	Squad
1946	Withdrew
Sixth place	6th	7	0	3	4	3	17	Squad
1949	Seventh place	7th	7	1	0	6	7	21	Squad
1953		7th	6	0	2	4	1	13	Squad
1955	Sixth place	6th	5	0	0	5	4	22	Squad
1956	Withdrew
1957	Seventh place	7th	6	0	1	5	7	23	Squad
1959	Withdrew
1959	Fourth place	4th	4	1	1	2	5	9	Squad
1963	Sixth place	6th	6	1	2	3	14	18	Squad
1967	Did not qualify
1975	Group stage	9th	4	0	1	3	4	10	Squad
1979		9th	4	1	0	3	4	7	Squad
1983		9th	4	0	2	2	4	10	Squad
1987		8th	2	0	1	1	1	4	Squad
1989		7th	4	1	2	1	2	2	Squad
1991		7th	4	1	1	2	6	5	Squad
1993	Fourth place	4th	6	4	0	2	13	5	Squad
1995	Group stage	9th	3	1	0	2	2	3	Squad
1997	Quarter-finals	5th	4	2	2	0	5	2	Squad
1999	Group stage	11th	3	0	0	3	3	7	Squad
2001		9th	3	1	0	2	5	5	Squad
2004		12th	3	0	0	3	3	10	Squad
2007		11th	3	0	0	3	3	6	Squad
2011		10th	3	0	1	2	2	5	Squad
2015		10th	3	1	0	2	4	6	Squad
2016	Quarter-finals	8th	4	1	2	1	7	4	Squad
2019	Group stage	11th	3	0	1	2	2	7	Squad
2021	Quarter-finals	8th	5	0	3	2	5	9	Squad
2024		8th	4	1	2	1	5	4	Squad
Total	Fourth place	30/38	130	17	28	85	139	331	—

Pan American Games Participation

Ecuador has also competed in the Pan American Games, a major multi-sport event for countries in the Americas.

Pan American Games record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1951	Did not participate
1955
1959
1963
1967
1971
1975
1979
1983
1987
1991
1995	Group stage	9th	3	1	0	2	6	10
Since 1999	See Ecuador national under-23 football team
Total	Group stage	1/12	3	1	0	2	6	10

Awards and Achievements

Ecuador's national football team has earned several honors throughout its history.

Regional Trophies

• Bolivarian Games
  • Gold medal (2): 1965, 1985
  • Bronze medal (1): 1938

Friendly Competition Wins

• Korea Cup (1): 1995
• Canada Cup (1): 1999

Trophies

Ecuador has won the Panamerican Games 2006/2007 Trophy, Ecuador also won the 1999 Canada Cup Trophy, 1995 Korea Cup Trophy and Finally Ecuador achieved 1st place Gold Medal at the 1965 Bolivarian Games.

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Ecuador para niños