🇪🇨 Ecuador

Beccacece sets Ecuador up in a 4-3-3 with Moisés Caicedo as the deepest midfielder, shielding the back four and launching attacks with incisive forward passes. Kendry Páez and Gonzalo Plata provide width and directness, while Pervis Estupiñán pushes aggressively from left-back. The press is high and coordinated, designed to win the ball in the opponent's half and exploit transitions before defensive shape is set.

The engine of this Ecuador side runs through Moisés Caicedo, Chelsea's box-to-box destroyer whose reading of the game and physical dominance make him one of the best midfielders at this tournament. Behind him, Willian Pacho brings PSG-level composure and aggressive pressing from centre-back, while Piero Hincapié's arrival at Arsenal has sharpened a left-sided defender already known for his pace and recovery tackling.

Moisés Caicedo is a genuine world-class midfielder capable of controlling a game single-handedly. The centre-back pairing of Willian Pacho and Piero Hincapié — both playing Champions League football — gives Ecuador a back line that can handle elite forwards. Transition speed through Gonzalo Plata and Pervis Estupiñán is a consistent attacking weapon.

Goalkeeping is a concern: Hernán Galíndez plays for Huracán in the Argentine second tier, a significant drop-off from the European standard elsewhere in the squad. The attack also lacks a reliable penalty-box striker now that Enner Valencia is in his mid-thirties at Pachuca, and no younger forward has yet established themselves as a consistent replacement.