Ecuador is a soccer mad country, many fans are shocked to see the passion Ecuadorians have for soccer, yet its mind blowing that Ecuador has only played in 4 World Cups.
Ecuador’s deepest run in the competition was the round of 16 in the 2006 World Cup and has a modest history in South America being semifinalist in the Copa America in 1993, a Copa America they hosted.
Still, Ecuador has produced great talents at the South American level and have had many players play in top leagues abroad. Here are 25 of Ecuador’s best players.
25. Carlos Muñoz
Carlos Muñoz (Twitter)
Carlos Muñoz was on his way to the top of Ecuadorian soccer, a late bloomer the skilled forward had found his place at Barcelona in Ecuador where he became a club idol. On the Ecuadorian national team, Carlitos as he was known, scored 4 goals in 35 games but sadly died in a car accident on the 26th of December 1993.
24. Eduardo Hurtado
Eduardo Hurtado (Getty Images)
El Tanque was literally that, a tank, Eduardo Hurtado had a huge physical presence and scored 26 goals in 76 games for Ecuador. Hurtado could never get to a World Cup but before that he was one of the most important Ecuadorian soccer players of his generation.
23. José Francisco Cevallos
José Francisco Cevallos (Getty Images)
Long time goalkeeper José Francisco Cevallos was the backstop for Ecuador ‘s first World Cup in 2002. Not exactly the most secure goalkeeper but one that was around for a long time, playing 89 times.
22. Iván Kaviedes
Iván Kaviedes (Getty Images)
Iván Kaviedes scored the goal that put Ecuador into their first World Cup and in total scored 17 goals in 57 games. A strange but skillful forward Iván Kaviedes was the first Ecuadorian to play in Serie A and later in LaLiga, England, and Portugal among others.
21. Jefferson Montero
Jefferson Montero (Getty Images)
Journeyman winger Jefferson Montero has played all over the world but has had success for Ecuador at the national team level. Jefferson Montero scored 10 goals in 64 games and played in the 2014 World Cup.
20. Washington Muñoz
Washington Muñoz (Twitter)
Known for his deadly free kick abilities, Washington Muñoz played in three World Cup cycles for Ecuador but could not get to the World Cup in 1966, 1970, and 1974.
19. Jorge Bolaños
Jorge Bolaños (Twitter)
Skilled midfielder Jorge Bolaños only played 27 games for the Ecuadorian national team but on the domestic front won 7 championships in the Ecuadorian league for Emelec and Barcelona.
18. Christian Noboa
Christian Noboa (Getty Images)
The talented and deep lying midfielder Christian Noboa has skill and European pace. Noboa has made a career playing in Russia and has 4 goals in 84 games for LaTricolor.
17. Ariel Graziani
Ariel Graziani (Getty Images)
Born in Argentina, Ariel Graziani made a name for himself in Ecuador, later he’d made a name for himself in MLS and his native Argentina. On the international level Graziani scored 15 goals in 34 appearances for just shy of playing in the 2002 World Cup.
16. Segundo Castillo
Segundo Castillo (Getty Images)
Segundo Castillo was a solid defensive midfielder for Ecuador from 2003- 2016 playing 87 matches and scoring 9 goals. Castillo made a career playing in Europe, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia.
15. Wagner Rivera
Wagner Rivera (Getty Images)
Wagner Rivera was a talented but undisciplined right back with great ball skill. Rivera played for Ecuador mostly during the 1998 cycle and even played with Romario and Bebeto at Flamengo.
14. Walter Ayoví
Walter Ayoví (Getty Images)
The left sided player helped LaTricolor at the back and in the midfield for 121 games and scored 8 goals. Walter Ayoví was a part of the Monterrey side that won 5 titles during his stint.
13. Felipe Caicedo
Felipe Caicedo (Getty Images)
Felipe Caicedo was a powerful and quick striker who at one point played for Manchester City. Felipe Caicedo scored 22 goals in 68 games for Ecuador and played in the 2014 World Cup.
12. Luis Capurro
Luis Capurro (Getty Images)
Highly respected by the likes of Diego Maradona, Luis Capurro was Ecuador ‘s captain for many years and was capped 100 times. Luis Capurro was an elegant and hardworking left back from 1985-2003.
11. Christian Benítez
Christian Benítez (Getty Images)
Christian Benítez had the makings of a big-time player with 24 goals in 58 games for the national team and 135 goals in 288 games at the club level. The striker’s life was cut short by a car accident on July 29th, 2013, Christian Benítez played in the 2006 World Cup for Los Tricolores.
10. Polo Carrera
Polo Carrera (El Universo)
A forward of immense skill, Polo Carrera won championships in Uruguay and Ecuador. Considered by many one of the best forwards of Ecuadorian soccer ever, he played on the national team in a time where players like Polo Carrera were few and far between.
9. Iván Hurtado
Iván Hurtado (Getty Images)
The most capped Ecuadorian player of all time, Iván Hurtado played 168 games for Ecuador scoring 5 goals. A play out the back defender with great air skills, Hurtado played in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and played in 6 Copa Americas.
8. Ulises de la Cruz
Ulises de la Cruz (Getty Images)
Ulises de la Cruz was a speedy right winger that drove opponents crazy down the flanks. De la Cruz would play in Scotland and the Premier League and was capped 101 times with six goals and played in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
7. Édison Méndez
Édison Méndez (Getty Images)
One of the first Ecuadorian players to truly have a solid career in Europe, Édison Méndez jumped on to the scene at PSV in Europe but was already an established defensive midfielder on the national team. Édison Méndez scored 18 goals in 111 caps and scored the game winning goal of Ecuador’s first World Cup victory against Croatia in 2002.
6. Raúl Avilés
Raúl Avilés (Getty Images)
Raúl Avilés was a competent striker who played from 1987 – 1993 and in that short time span scored 16 goals in 55 games for Ecuador. Raúl Avilés participated in 4 Copa America tournaments.
5. Agustín Delgado
Agustín Delgado (Getty Images)
Agustín Delgado was the go-to forward for Ecuador during the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, Agustín Delgado played in Mexico, England, Colombia, and Ecuador, in his international career he scored 31 goals in 71 games.
4. Enner Valencia
Enner Valencia (Getty Images)
The nations all-time leading scorer with 35 goals in 74 games, Valencia scored three goals for Ecuador in the 2014 World Cup and is looking for 2022 to be his crowning moment.
3. Antonio Valencia
Antonio Valencia (Getty Images)
Not many players play 339 games for Manchester United, not many Ecuadorians have ever captained a team of such prestige. Antonio Valencia had pace, vision, and something many Ecuadorians have lacked… adaptation to a better and professional league.
2. Alberto Spencer
Alberto Spencer (Getty Images)
One of the greatest South American goal scorers of all-time, sadly Alberto Spencer never got to play in a World Cup. He is the all-time leading scorer of the Copa Libertadores and won 14 titles with Peñarol of Uruguay.
1. Álex Aguinaga
Álex Aguinaga (Getty Images)
The hallmark of the classic South American number 10, Álex Aguinaga was skill, pace, and leadership. No Ecuadorian has come close to the complete package as Álex Aguinaga, who played 109 games and scored 23 goals and got to play the 2002 World Cup.
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