Ecuador Copa America 2024 squad guide: Can Sanchez take La Tri to new heights? (2024)

Ecuador have both experience and exciting young talent in their ranks. Under Felix Sanchez, they’re looking to shed their usual dark horses tag and prove their worth this summer…

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The manager

At the last men’s World Cup, host nation Qatar failed to earn a point and finished as the worst-performing host nation in the tournament’s history. It was a total failure for Spanish manager Felix Sanchez, a former Barcelona youth coach whose Barca-inspired tactics never materialized for a disappointing Qatari side. Sanchez, now in charge of Ecuador, may not admit that he’s seeking redemption but that notion isn’t a stretch either.

Sanchez, 48, may not have been expected to guide Qatar very far at the World Cup but in taking over Ecuador, he is now in charge of one of South America’s most promising football countries. However, shortly after the Copa America draw in December, Sanchez did his best to temper expectations. For as impressive a squad that Ecuador may have, major tournaments have not been friendly to the Andean nation.

“Historically, Ecuador hasn’t advanced from the group stage very many times,” Sanchez told reporters. “Every group is very evenly matched. We’ll have to fine-tune every detail if we hope to advance from the group.”

Whether it’s gamesmanship or an honest assessment of his squad, the straightforward Sanchez understands that Ecuador have work to do in order to live up to their potential. In South America, a common belief is that football can offer a revancha, or rematch, if you stay the course. Sanchez will hope that this edition of the Copa America will further distance him from the disappointment of the 2022 World Cup.

The household name you haven’t heard of yet

Sparta Prague right full-back Angelo Preciado may not be a star of Ecuador’s national team but he is, without a doubt, a player to watch at the Copa America. The 26-year-old is also one of several members of the Ecuador squad developed as a player at Quito-based Independiente del Valle.

Preciado is an energetic full-back who gets forward quickly and defends with vigor, relishing one-versus-one match-ups. He’s a physical defender but if given space on the right flank, he can turn provider or unleash a shot from distance. Trained as a classic winger, Preciado must be accounted for by the opposition. His personal story is also inspiring.

Preciado was born in the oil-rich city of Shushufindi in the Sucumbíos province of Ecuador. His football career, and most notably his performances for Ecuador at the 2022 World Cup, made him a local hero and Shushufindi legend.

Strengths

Ecuador are a side that can attack effectively in transition. Against the top teams in South America, Ecuador has no problem sitting in a low block and defending with numbers. During a 1-0 World Cup qualifying loss to Argentina in September, they closed down space quickly and frustrated Lionel Messi with well-timed tackles and disciplined defending.

Messi scored the winner in the 77th minute from a direct free kick. He also exited the match with a minor muscle injury.

“We played against a great team, with good players who are physically strong,” said Messi after that match.

Ecuador can defend but they also have a legitimate goal-scoring No 9 in Enner Valencia. The former West Ham United striker is Ecuador’s all-time top scorer, and he’s still a match-winner at the age of 34. Ecuador also boasts flair players such as Chelsea’s teenage signing Kendry Paez, and ball-playing defenders such as Piero Hincapie, Bayer Leverkusen’s well-rounded left-footed center-back who featured for the undefeated Bundesliga champions.

Weaknesses

Ecuador may have talent and look like a spoiler at this Copa America, but as Sanchez pointed out, they don’t typically perform well at the tournament. The mentality of Ecuador’s players has always been in question. Strong at home in Quito where the altitude can punish the opposition, Ecuador is much more unpredictable away from their home base.

Ecuador has finished fourth at the Copa America on two occasions. They’ve never played in a Copa America final. They’ve been drawn in a difficult Group B with Mexico, Venezuela and Jamaica. Advancing from that stage isn’t a given.

The thing you didn’t know

There was a kit controversy brewing for Ecuador prior to the Copa America . The home kit that Ecuador was set to wear in the United States is yellow with a navy blue diagonal stripe across the chest. The back of the shirt is a solid navy blue, and that’s a problem according to CONMEBOL’s Uniforms and Equipment regulations.

Article 75 of CONMEBOL’s regulations states that the kits must fall in accordance with FIFA’s Equipment Regulations. FIFA mandates that “the front area and the back area for the shirt must feature the same dominant color”.

In March, Ecuador FA president Francisco Egas dismissed reports that the Copa America kits, manufactured by Ecuadorian company Marathon, would have to be altered before the tournament.

“Marathon is in charge of approving the uniforms and of any type of modification that would need to be made to the uniforms,” Egas said. “The reports about the front of the shirt being yellow and the back of the shirt being blue, whether or not that’s going to be approved; those are unsubstantiated reports.” Well, a change has been made. Ecuador debuted their redesigned home kits in a pre-tournament friendly versus Argentina on June 9. The back of Ecuador’s home kit is now yellow with navy blue trim. A controversy avoided.

Expectations back home

Ecuador’s performance at the 2022 World Cup was respectable but equally disappointing. A dominant victory over Sanchez’s Qatar in the first group-stage match was followed by a heartbreaking loss to Senegal. Ecuador then drew 1-1 with the Netherlands but failed to advance to the knockout round. Still, there was a sense in Ecuador that the national team had taken a positive step, albeit a small one.

The Copa America is viewed as an opportunity for Ecuador to finally break out on the international stage. The question is whether the players will have the mental steel to be more than a dark horse candidate.

Sanchez chose a more diplomatic approach when discussing Ecuador’s chances to surprise this summer.“If you look at (Ecuador’s) history, it’s better to not create expectations that we cannot achieve,” he said in December. “We’re going to demand a lot from ourselves but, initially, we expect to compete well in every match.

“If we do that, I believe we’ll have a chance to advance from the group, even though it’s going to be very difficult. From there, it’s a knockout competition against the best teams in the tournament. It’ll be more difficult but we’re excited to compete against everyone.”

Ecuador’s Copa America squad

Goalkeepers:Hernan Galindez(Huracan),Alexander Dominguez(LDU Quito),Moises Ramirez(Independiente del Valle).

Defenders:Piero Hincapie (Bayer Leverkusen), William Pacho (Eintracht Frankfurt),Felix Torres(Corinthians),Joel Ordonez(Club Bruges), Andres Micolta (Pachuca), Jackson Porozo (Troyes), Layan Loor (CD Universidad Catolica),Jose Hurtado(RB Bragantino),Angelo Preciado(Sparta Prague).

Midfielders:Carlos Gruezo(San Jose Earthquakes), Moises Caicedo (Chelsea),Alan Franco(Atletico Mineiro),Jose Cifuentes(Cruzeiro),Joao Ortiz(Independiente del Valle), Kendry Paez (Independiente del Valle), Jeremy Sarmiento (Ipswich Town),John Yeboah(Rakow Czestochowa),Angel Mena(Leon),Alan Minda(Cercle Bruges), Janner Corozo (Barcelona S.C).

Forwards:Enner Valencia (Internacional), Kevin Rodriguez (Royale Union Saint-Gilloise),Jordy Caicedo(Atlas).

(Artwork: John Bradford. Photos: Getty; Guillermo Legaria – FIFA, Franklin Jacome)

Felipe Cardenas is a staff writer for The Athletic who covers MLS and international soccer. Follow Felipe on Twitter @FelipeCar