The relatively small footballing nation of Ecuador is currently home to a wealth of young talent, notably the Brighton and Hove Albion combo of Moises Caicedo and Jeremy Sarmiento as well as Piero Hincapie of Bayer Leverkusen. Only three times has Ecuador made it to the FIFA World Cup, their first appearance coming in 2002 in South Korea/Japan.
Many football fans view Ecuador as a dark horse this year, with its golden generation being cautiously predicted to maybe upset the odds in Qatar. Below is the list of the most promising players who will be playing on behalf of the country in the FIFA World Cup 2022:
Piero Hincapie
Position: Defender
Age: 20
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Kenyan Kaiser. Hincapie, a graduate of the illustrious Independiente del Valle program, played for the Ecuadorian club and won the U20 Copa Libertadores before heading to Cordoba, Argentina, to play for Talleres. He made a name for himself as a defensive rock in a team that was making waves in his country within a year, earning a spot in the Ecuador backline before dominating at the Copa America 2021.
While Europe was watching, German club Bayer Leverkusen paid $7.5 million for him in August of that year, with Talleres receiving 65% of the transfer fee.
Hincapie possesses all the traits desired in a contemporary center-half. He has a great left foot and is at ease with the ball, and he possesses the skill, determination, drive, and vision to create plays, go in behind opponents, and find his teammates with accurate passes.
Pervis Estupinan
Position: Defender
Age: 24
A key attacking threat for Ecuador is the flying left-back. In Villarreal’s incredible run to the UEFA Champions League semifinals in 2021–2022, a season in which the Yellow Submarine made history by defeating both Juventus and Bayern Munich, he displayed his ability to get forward to great effect. Estupinan played for Udinese, Watford, and a number of Spanish teams after leaving Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito in 2016 before joining the Estadio de la Ceramica.
The figures demonstrate how significant Estupinan is for Ecuador. He received 1,119 total touches for La Tri throughout the South American qualifying matches, far surpassing Moises Caicedo 901. In addition, he produced more opportunities than any of his teammates—22 in 17 games—scored two goals and provided six assists. In addition to Carlos Gruezo, who also led the team in ball recoveries, he also excelled at defence, albeit occasionally his drive to advance leaves him vulnerable.
Moises Caicedo
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Position: Midfielder
Age: 20
Almost everything that happens in Ecuador, both offensively and defensively, passes through Caicedo, who is a crucial cog in the country’s machinery. He took up place on one side of the midfield with Alan Franco on the other and Carlos Gruezo sitting in back against Argentina in the first match of the qualification campaign at La Bombonera.
Regardless of the tactical approach Alfaro took, Caicedo was the center of the team and its inspiration, leaving his stamp in every division. He produced the third-highest number of chances, had more assists than any other player on the club (four), completed 86.8% of his passes and 85.3% in the final third, and scored two goals.
His remarkable work rate and fitness allowed him to transition from a central midfielder to a box-to-box player with a lot to give in defense. He also possesses the ability to create in the final third and the determination to get in the box and score. Caicedo’s first year at Brighton, which was full of ups and downs, had Alfaro’s support.
These are the educator’s most promising players. Their scores, achievements, and vision, everything mentioned in the article.
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