"Hopefully they'll be heading home early": DFB nightmare Cucurella names Germany as dark horses for the World Cup

Ecuador, Germany's third group-stage opponent at the World Cup which begins on 11 June, "can play a significant role," insists Cucurella. The left-back—whose handball in the penalty area during extra time of the Euro 2024 quarter-final against the Germans went unpunished—added: "They have a lot of good players. Many underestimate them, but I'm convinced they'll do well. Still, I hope they're heading home early," Cucurella added, looking ahead to a potential knockout-stage meeting.

The side, currently coached by Argentine Sebastián Beccacece, began the 2026 South American qualifiers with a three-point penalty after submitting a player's birth certificate with an incorrect date and place of birth during the 2022 qualifying campaign. Despite this penalty, Ecuador qualified comfortably for the 2026 showpiece in the USA, Mexico and Canada, finishing second and conceding first place only to world champions Argentina.

They finished ahead of Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay, and last September they shocked Argentina with a 1-0 win. Their defensive solidity is striking: they conceded only five goals in 18 matches, fewer than any other team in the region, and kept 13 clean sheets.

Ecuador's squad boasts several defensive standouts. Champions League winner Willian Pacho of Paris Saint-Germain, former Bayer Leverkusen man Piero Hincapie of Champions League finalists Arsenal, and Joel Ordonez of Club Brugge—currently attracting interest from top European clubs—form a solid back line. In defensive midfield, Moisés Caicedo—Cucurella's Chelsea teammate and one of the Premier League's best holding midfielders—pulls the strings.

Up front, however, the numbers are underwhelming: Ecuador scored only 14 goals in World Cup qualifying, fewer than one per game. That statistic highlights an overreliance on 36-year-old striker Enner Valencia of Mexican side CF Pachuca. The former West Ham and Fenerbahce forward scored six of those 14 goals during qualifying, and he was also Ecuador's leading scorer in the 2014 and 2022 World Cup campaigns, with three goals in each.

The onus on providing support falls mainly on Gonzalo Plata. The 25-year-old right winger, who plies his trade for Brazilian top-flight side Flamengo, has recently delivered impressive showings in friendlies. Other attacking options include Nilson Angulo (AFC Sunderland), Kendry Paez, who is on loan from Chelsea to River Plate, and John Yeboah (Venezia FC). Yeboah, a Hamburg native who came through VfL Wolfsburg's youth system, represented German youth sides from the U16s to the U20s. Because his mother is Ecuadorian, he switched allegiances and made his senior debut in spring 2024. In Saturday's 2-1 friendly win over Saudi Arabia, Yeboah provided two assists.

Ecuador begins its World Cup campaign with a crucial match: the 13 June meeting with Ivory Coast may well decide second spot behind group favourites Germany. A victory over outsiders Curaçao on 20 June is essential, before Hincapie and his team tackle the Germans on 25 June.

Appearing in their fifth World Cup after 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2022, La Tri are desperate to reach the knockout stage for only the second time. History offers a glimmer of hope: in 2006, Ecuador reached the knockout stage for the first and only time after finishing behind Germany in the group and then facing the hosts on matchday three (0-3). In the round of 16, the South Americans held their own against England for long spells, but a David Beckham free-kick eventually sealed a 1-0 win for the Three Lions.