Ecuador's squad is so young that some of them may still have homework to hand in. Do not be fooled. La Tri have Moisés Caicedo, a monster in Chelsea's midfield, and Kendry Páez, a teenager who might be the most exciting prospect in South American football. The altitude boys from Quito are used to making visitors suffer, and at the 2026 World Cup they intend to make some big teams very uncomfortable.
Sebastián Beccacece is the manager.
How strong is Ecuador's spine?
Stronger than most at this end of the list. Caicedo has become one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League, a genuine world-class talent. Piero Hincapié is a rock at centre-back for Bayer Leverkusen and was part of their historic unbeaten Bundesliga season. Páez signed for Chelsea as a teenager and dribbles with real electricity.
They have also shown they belong. At the 2022 World Cup Ecuador beat hosts Qatar and drew with the Netherlands. South American qualifying is the hardest in the world, so every player arrives battle-tested.
The worry is the knockout rounds, and whether a young group can handle the pressure there. With Caicedo running the midfield like the boss, they can cause serious damage. If Páez takes off on this stage, Ecuador could be the breakout team of the tournament.
Tomorrow: number 26.
