Beccacece leads Ecuador to historic World Cup knockout stage

When referee Mary Victoria Penso blew the final whistle in New Jersey, Ecuador coach Sebastian Beccacece clambered over the stadium barriers to celebrate with his family. The head coach embraced his loved ones after his side had beaten Germany 2-1, securing a place in the World Cup knockout stages for only the second time in the nation's history.

The victory was an emotional moment for Beccacece, for whom the final group-stage fixture could have been his last game in charge of Ecuador. The Argentine tactician had said beforehand that he expected to step down if his side failed to advance. There were reports of a verbal confrontation between members of Beccacece's family and supporters after a goalless draw against Curacao last week.

A manager under pressure

“We have the possibility of moving forward and, if things don't work, I will have to leave a place I love very much but I know it's all about results,” Beccacece said in Wednesday's pre-match news conference. For large parts of the game, it looked like both Ecuador and their manager were on their way out. But the scenes at full-time after a famous victory suggested he has earned more time at the helm, not least because of the fighting spirit his side displayed to beat the four-time world champions.

“If Ecuador hadn't won this game, he wouldn't have been in the job,” former England captain Alan Shearer told BBC One. “He was looking for a reaction from his players and boy has he got one. Look at his reaction to family members, fans and friends – he deserves it. Him and his players put a shift in – they gambled, they fought, they scrapped and they've come out on top.”

A turbulent road to the World Cup

Ecuador's World Cup qualification campaign began with a three-point deduction in 2022 for fielding Colombia-born Byron Castillo, whom Chile claimed was ineligible for the qualifiers for the World Cup in Qatar. They started the 2026 qualifiers under Felix Sanchez, who guided them to three wins from six matches before the former Qatar boss was dismissed in July 2024, straight after a Copa America quarter-final defeat by Argentina.

“They lost the shootout, and Sanchez was sacked in the dressing room after the game,” South American football expert Tim Vickery told BBC Sport. “They treat their coaches with great harshness.”

Beccacece's reign began with a 1-0 defeat by Brazil, but his side did not lose again in 11 matches as they qualified for the World Cup as runners-up in South America, only behind the Selecao. That meant they arrived at the tournament with high expectations and boasting a 19-game unbeaten run. But it was far from the start they or their supporters had hoped for. A last-gasp 1-0 defeat by Ivory Coast in the opener was followed by a humiliating goalless draw with debutants Curacao, which turned the fans against the coach.

Beccacece's background and redemption

“I am very sorry I didn't make it to the heart of the Ecuadorean fan,” Beccacece had said. “For the fans who don't know me, I think I didn't quite click with them. There is something they don't like with me and that is fine.” After no playing career of note, Beccacece earned his reputation as an assistant to Jorge Sampaoli during Chile's era of success a decade ago, helping them reach the 2014 World Cup and secure their first-ever Copa America title in 2015. He was also Sampaoli's assistant at the 2018 World Cup with Argentina and was in charge of Spanish side Elche before joining Ecuador.

Having now masterminded Ecuador's turnaround at the World Cup, the 45-year-old has perhaps achieved the biggest feat of his managerial career. “We never feel like we are in hell, nor do we feel like we are in heaven,” he said after beating Germany. “We have our feet grounded on earth and we feel and think in the right manner.”