Ecuador

Ecuador conceded only 5 goals in 18 CONMEBOL qualifiers — the fewest of any South American side — despite starting the cycle with a 3-point deduction for Byron Castillo's eligibility violation.

Willian Pacho became the first Ecuadorian to win the UEFA Champions League, lifting the trophy with PSG in 2025.

Enner Valencia scored all three of Ecuador's goals at the 2014 World Cup group stage — he is La Tri's all-time top scorer with 49 international goals and holds the national record of 6 World Cup goals.

Kendry Páez (born May 4, 2007) became the youngest-ever goalscorer in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying at 16 years and 161 days when he netted against Bolivia.

Ecuador qualified as CONMEBOL runners-up, finishing above historic nations like Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay despite that early points deduction.

Ecuador waited until 2002 to reach their first World Cup, powered by a secret weapon: home qualifiers in Quito at 2,850 metres above sea level, where the thin air left even Brazil gasping in a famous 1-0 defeat in 2001.

In the opening match of Qatar 2022, Enner Valencia had a third-minute goal chalked off — the first World Cup goal ever disallowed by semi-automated offside technology — then scored twice anyway as Qatar became the first host nation ever to lose its opening game.