FIFA U-17 World Cup Team Profile 2023: Ecuador

Ecuador U-17 national team. (fafa.com)

JAKARTA - The power of South America. Ecuador's football was able to make quite good achievements in the CONMEBOL zone. Likewise, Ecuador's U-17 national team achieved success by becoming runners-up in the U-17 South American Championships. Ekudor's brilliant achievements were inseparable from the good performance of coach Diego Martinez.

Ecuador is a country from South America with a population of 'only' 17.5 million people. Far below the population of Central Java Province, which reached 37 million people.

Although it has a population that is not large compared to major South American countries such as Brazil, Argentina or Venezuela, Ecuadorian football cannot be underestimated. From that small country, not a few footballers have appeared playing in various European and South American leagues.

Ecuador's national team was able to make quite a good achievement. From Ecuador's football, the legend Antonio Valencia skyrocketed while defending Manchester United. He even captained the Red Devils.

Ecuador began to regularly compete in the world's largest football tournament since qualifying for the 2002 World Cup. Despite missing the 2010 and 2018 World Cups, La Tri then appeared in the 2022 World Cup.

What about the achievements in the Copa America? They have played in the tournament since 1939. Ecuador's highest achievement was ranked fourth in the Copa Americas 1959 and 1993.

Ecuador is not an elite team in the world or South America. However, their achievements at the senior level still deserve praise for being able to compete with Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.

At the junior level, Ecuador's U-17 team also showed a non-disappointing achievement. Coach Diego Martinez played a major role in forming Ecuador's U-17 as a solid and compact team to reach the final in the U-17 South American championship.

Only Martinez did not build a team in a short time. Martinez was appointed coach of Ecuador's U-17 in 2022.

Previously, he coached at Ecuador's top club team and academy, Independiente Del Valle. Martinez, who is responsible for recruiting teenagers, is also a coach in the academy team.

Martinez is a success as coach of the junior team at the club. This is what makes Ecuador's football federation (FEF) appoint him to handle the U-17 national team.

Martinez's success continued in the U-17 national team by bringing Allen Obando et al to second place after losing to Brazil in the 2023 U-17 championship.

The success of reaching the final brought Ecuador's U-17 to the final round of the 2023 U-17 World Cup which was held in Indonesia.

Ecuador's U-17 squad, which competed in the World Cup, is not much different from the team competing in the South American championship. Independiente Del Valle is the club with the biggest contributor to the players. There are eight players from the club who are the backbone of the U-17 national team.

Ecuador U-17 itself has appeared for the fifth time in the U-17 World Cup. La Tri was recorded twice at the top eight when they hosted the U-17 World Cup in 1995 and 2015 which were held in Chile.

At the 2023 U-17 World Cup, Ecuador joined in Gup A with the hosts Indonesia, Morocco and Panama.

And, Ecuador's inaugural match meets the hosts as well as opening the tournament. Ecuador has indeed become an attractive team for the hosts.