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Road to World Cup 26 - Ep19 - Ecuador
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Join your hosts Nick Britten Ken Davies as we take the deepest of deep dives into everything related to the FIFA World Cup 2026 held in Canada, Mexico and the USA.
All the news, analysis and comment from every team, every qualification process and of course the tournament itself. The biggest festival of soccer in the world.
This week we take a deep dive into Ecuador – who are they, who are the key players and how will they get on next year? Plus your World Cup news roundup, Kenny’s Quiz and much, much more.
Your weekly guide to the pinnacle of world soccer brought to you by Global Sports Podcast Network
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction
00:00:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello, bonjour, ciao, ni hao, привет, g'day, and welcome to the Road to World Cup 26 podcast, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only place to find your regular soccer content on the top English Premier League sides, women's football, and you know this because you are listening to it, the World Cup 2026, we remain...
00:00:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
the only World Cup 2026 regular podcast in the entire
Meet the Hosts
00:00:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
planet. So we're very, very glad that you are here. I'm your host, Nick Britton. I'm joined as always by my esteemed colleague. You know him as The Beaver.
00:00:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know him as Mr. Ken Davies Esquire. How are you, Kenny, this week?
00:00:48
Ken Davies
I'm well, mate. Very well. ah Thoroughly enjoyed the weekend. An interesting weekend. I yeah i was at the Kirklangley Village Fate and it was lovely day.
00:00:59
Ken Davies
Very hot. ah You look like you've caught the sun as well.
00:01:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
but it There's a reason for that. It's because this is why this is why you are the cleverest man in the world, by the way.
00:01:08
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:01:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's because whilst you were in the state, and by the way, sitting underneath a yeah well several umbrellas, drinking several pints of beer in the shade and enjoying yourself, you had me out in the blazing sunshine for three hours when it was around 45 degrees centigrade teaching kids how to play football.
00:01:13
Ken Davies
Thank you.
00:01:23
Ken Davies
Lovely.
00:01:26
Ken Davies
That
00:01:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I came off sweating and ready to be true.
00:01:31
Ken Davies
was great.
00:01:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you look like you're having a time of your life. So, yeah, well done.
00:01:37
Ken Davies
Well, it was watching you or get 10-year-olds to do keep your uppies in the blazing sun.
00:01:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well done.
00:01:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's more than that, right?
00:01:44
Ken Davies
It was quite entertaining thing to watch, to be honest.
Apology for Delay
00:01:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Proper skills they were learning.
00:01:48
Ken Davies
Welcome everybody, by the way, to the Road to World Cup 26, the only, the best, original World Cup podcast in existence.
00:01:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Cool.
00:01:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is. I should say also, if you're a regular listener to ours, and i sincerely hope you are, apologies. We're a couple of days late with this. We normally broadcast on a Friday. Couldn't do this week for very personal circumstances. I e i wasn't here.
00:02:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah So it's now Monday night. Lots happened over the weekend we can touch upon, but so we will resume this Friday. we We're a couple of days late, so apologies for that.
Ecuador's Anthem & World Cup News
00:02:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
But let's get on I am very late.
00:02:16
Ken Davies
How did the penile reduction operation go, Nick?
00:02:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know.
00:02:22
Ken Davies
Was it success?
00:02:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look in the mirror. Why don't you look in the mirror and tell me? ah This week, we're going to date take a deep dive, and I'm going to introduce this in the language of my choice.
00:02:23
Ken Davies
Oh.
00:03:00
Ken Davies
Oh, I like this.
00:03:04
Ken Davies
Wasn't expecting that.
00:03:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay,
00:03:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I could listen that all day.
00:03:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
think that's a great national anthem.
00:03:10
Ken Davies
Like?
00:03:13
Ken Davies
I think it because it breaks into a waltz, doesn't it, after the first eight bars, you've got the normal military music. You think we're all marching to war. We're not. We're going to a dance. in ah in a beautiful country house in the middle of Quito, and we're waltzing around 18th century people in big dresses and top hats.
00:03:31
Ken Davies
Great.
00:03:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
I wonder if that's in mind when they composed that national anthem. and They probably didn't, but it's good.
00:03:35
Ken Davies
I think it was.
00:03:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
me When we do our World Cup of National Anthems next year, I think that's going to feature quite heavily. That's got a chance.
00:03:42
Ken Davies
I like it.
00:03:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Definitely...
00:03:43
Ken Davies
I like it.
00:03:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
A chance. Right, what are we looking at today then? Well, we've got your World Cup news to bring you to speed with and there's stuff that's going on today. Really, really hot off the press, by the way. When I say hot, I mean hot ah in in lots of different ways. Ken will have a a quick whiz through the history of Ecuador football.
00:03:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll pick out some key players to watch out for next year. ah There's a quick ah discussion point on the postbag this week, which is looking at the point of extra time and is there any point of extra time? We've got every favourite time of a week, except Ken's, which is, of course, Kenny's quiz. So play along at home for that.
00:04:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we'll have a look at the...
00:04:16
Ken Davies
Got the pipe ready.
00:04:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sebastian Becachelli. That's a bit more Italian than Spanish, to be fair.
00:04:22
Ken Davies
Who? Who?
00:04:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:04:24
Ken Davies
Bekaseysay.
00:04:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:04:25
Ken Davies
Sebastian Bekaseysay.
00:04:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got to agree on this. We've got to agree on this. Is it Becachese or is it Becachese?
00:04:31
Ken Davies
Bekaseysay.
00:04:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because when I was looking at videos...
00:04:33
Ken Davies
Bekaseysay.
00:04:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
I do lots of, one of us has to, and I do a lot of research for this World Cup podcast.
00:04:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:04:39
Ken Davies
Mm-hmm.
00:04:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was kind of mixed, people pronounce it in different way. I kind of came out of it saying Becker-Chasey, you came out of it came saying Becker-Chasey.
00:04:39
Ken Davies
Mm-hmm.
00:04:45
Ken Davies
Yeah. I did, yeah.
00:04:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think there's a right or wrong.
00:04:48
Ken Davies
and
00:04:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll see.
00:04:49
Ken Davies
And there is. It's back to say, say.
00:04:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we'll end, we'll end, it isn't, we'll end with our predictions and we'll work out where we think Ecuador are going to finish. ah But to begin with, we are going to start, as we always start, with your World Cup news.
00:05:08
Ken Davies
now Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:05:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:05:19
Ken Davies
I just got a message from the studio there.
00:05:20
Ken Davies
The studio just calling me from the GSP intern.
00:05:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:05:23
Ken Davies
Yeah, they're telling me it's not 1975. You don't need to do that anymore.
00:05:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, you don't need hold your phone to the ear like you're calling Domino's or any other number that perhaps you should not be calling whilst you're broadcasting.
00:05:32
Ken Davies
That's what they used to do back in the day, didn't they, in the kind of news network thing. Shuffle the papers, pick up the phone,
00:05:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I did. I used to work
00:05:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Shuffle your papers, mate. As long as that's all you're shuffling.
00:05:43
Ken Davies
yeah
00:05:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Here's
Club World Cup Conditions Debate
00:05:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
your World Cup news. It continues to be dominated by one theme, really, and that is the the fallout from the conditions of the Club World Cup. The Club World Cup, by the way, if anybody knows, probably didn't pass everybody by.
00:05:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah The Club World Cup was won by Chelsea last night. They beat ah PSG.
00:05:59
Ken Davies
Didn't see that coming, did you? i thought PSTU were going to wallop them.
00:06:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, it was the other way around. They they they made them look like schoolboys in a playground in the first half.
00:06:05
Ken Davies
Huh?
00:06:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
And obviously, it ended acrimoniously with scuffles and fights at the end of the game.
00:06:09
Ken Davies
They did.
00:06:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah But Chelsea won it um and amusingly have said today that they value the winning the Club World Cup as much as they do winning the Champions League, which they would definitely not have said, had they not.
00:06:22
Ken Davies
Liars.
00:06:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolute rubbish.
00:06:24
Ken Davies
Liars.
00:06:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nobody's interested And Gianni, an interesting little rail breaking out, and I'm wondering if this is gonna how this is going to play out next year, because ah FIFA and the ah the the national, or sorry, the global football players union have fallen out today.
00:06:26
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:06:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
where Because FIFA have said the thing has been ah massive commercial success. ah The World Players Union have said, no, it hasn't. And there's no reason to be interested in it. And what's more, you've put the players' safety at risk by making them play in 35 degree plus temperatures.
00:06:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
So a really good fallout. And that's a story that's been rumbling throughout this World Cup. FIFA have said in the last few days they're going to play ah games at the World Cup next year in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Vancouver, England. under the roofs and with the air conditioning on because they're the only four places where you can get that but they're going to play as many daytime games as there as they possibly can but it's only a little bit um it's good to see them doing something isn't it Ken but it's only a drop in the ocean
00:07:21
Ken Davies
It is. The thing that slightly concerns me about that is that obviously it's been played three countries, not just one. Obviously, there's only a certain number of stadia which have got ah roofs, which where they control the temperature in that way.
00:07:34
Ken Davies
um Does this mean that certain teams are going to get an easier ride in terms of general fatigue of their squad because they happen to be playing...
00:07:45
Ken Davies
ah their games in covered stadia. I just can see a little bit of controversy, controversy, ah appearing from that, by the way. Just a little comment.
00:07:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I think you're right. If you're playing in air-conditioned temperatures and and it's nice and cool and you're used to that, because if you're playing Europe something like that, then that's obviously going to be an advantage for you mentally and physically compared to a team playing in 35-degree heat.
00:08:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Obviously, it's going to be you're going be.
00:08:13
Ken Davies
Yeah?
00:08:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're going to be more comfortable. You're going to tire as quickly. Tactically, it's going to make a big difference to how you play. So, of course, it's going to make a difference.
00:08:23
Ken Davies
Yeah. Well, I, you know, I suppose it might save some players though.
00:08:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
But... FIFA, people listening. They've got to do something, FIFA. They can't just ignore all the concerns.
00:08:30
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:08:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
And there have loads of concerns. i mean, who was it the other day? Enzo Fernandes from Chelsea was talking about it being very dangerous playing in this heat. And he was feeling dizzy and all of that.
00:08:40
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:08:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's sort of escalated the ah hyperbole on all of this and some of the rhetoric around it.
00:08:41
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:08:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
But you can't ignore this. You can't ignore player safety.
00:08:48
Ken Davies
And the final the final next year is going to be played 19th of July. We're recording this on the 14th of July. It's going to be like this. going to be exactly the same.
00:08:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah So we look we really hope it's going to be an amazing tournament next year and it's good that FIFA are taking action but I think they need to listen to the players unions and they need to listen to the players and they need to don't don't put money
00:09:09
Ken Davies
We nearly broke this story, Nick. We were on this story from day one, weren't we?
00:09:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
did A month ago we started talking about this.
00:09:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Don't put player welfare ahead of commercial interests, please.
00:09:15
Ken Davies
Yeah, no one else was on about it.
00:09:18
Ken Davies
Correct.
00:09:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Our plea for FIFA today. ah Two of the hosts of next year's World Cup met in the Gold Cup final last week.
Gold Cup Final Recap
00:09:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mexico beat the USA 2-1. ah No great surprise there. USA didn't really get out of the blocks throughout the entire tournament. I mean, they were missing some very important players.
00:09:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
The final was very one-sided. Mexico won it at a bit of a canter.
00:09:36
Ken Davies
Very.
00:09:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everyone doesn't really tell the story. Three very good goals. if you haven't seen them, go and sort them out. Scored, interestingly, by Premier League players, by the way. So Chris Richard, is Chris Richard's for Palace, opened scoring after four minutes.
00:09:47
Ken Davies
Well.
00:09:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Mexico replied on 27 with Fulham's Raul Jimenez and West Ham's Edson Alvarez scored the winner on 77.
00:09:56
Ken Davies
Great player.
00:10:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Three good goals, scored by Premier League players, confirming, as we all know, that the Premier League is the best league in the world.
00:10:07
Ken Davies
Very good.
00:10:10
Ken Davies
maybe Yeah, no maybe it's good to be up there. Yeah, it's an interesting
00:10:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just said that. It's not actually... It's the second best league in the world because the best league in the world is the Championship in England.
00:10:22
Ken Davies
Correct. Correct answer. So we had spotted Mexico, looked the team that are going to have a great chance World Cup. And I suppose their performance in that competition just kind of reiterated their strength.
00:10:38
Ken Davies
And they seem to be the team to beat.
00:10:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah... For both of them, it was their last competitive game before the World Cup. They'll only play friendlies now for obvious reasons. so Mexico will go into this with confidence high. The USA, look, it doesn't help the pressure on Pochettino.
00:10:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
It doesn't help.
00:10:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
But there are loads of loads of mitigating circumstances. on this They were missing some really, really senior key players. and but But the mood the mood music around Pochettino from the off has not been good.
00:10:51
Ken Davies
No, he's about to raise that issue.
00:11:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he's got a it's got to turn this this ship around somehow. And even if it fluked a 1-0 win in a game where they only had 40% possession would have helped him, it just kind of buys into the narrative that he's not the man for the job.
00:11:05
Ken Davies
He's on the hot seat.
00:11:10
Ken Davies
Mm.
00:11:17
Ken Davies
Mm.
00:11:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Even though, as I say, there are lots of mitigation circumstances.
00:11:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
But there you go. and It's too late to change. Why would you? He's a very good coach.
00:11:23
Ken Davies
Is it too late to change now, you think?
00:11:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's a very good coach.
00:11:28
Ken Davies
He's a great coach.
00:11:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
he needs taste I do. He needs to get his key players back. He's still got several months to work with them. There are some young players who have come through since January who had their chance during the Gold Cup to make their mark.
00:11:29
Ken Davies
I like partitioning.
00:11:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
He'll carry on working with them. There'll be better players and this time next year without a shadow of a doubt. So there's still plenty to play for for the USA, but sir they do have to they do have to get out of the blocks a little quicker and start showing the supporters that there is demonstrable signs of progress.
00:11:52
Ken Davies
Cheers.
00:11:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Last bit of news
World Cup Ticket Pricing
00:11:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
for you then. We're talking a lot and have talked a lot about dynamic ticket pricing because that will be introduced in the World Cup next year. They've trialled it at this year's Club World Cup. And what's positive, I guess, in some ways, is to see that prices have gone down as well as up.
00:12:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Incredibly, they've not only gone down, but they've absolutely bottomed out in terms of the there's no interest. There's been no real interest in from supporters in a lot of these games. They have been in the big games. They have been where Real Madrid are playing.
00:12:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
But even in semi-final games, so I'll give you an example. Chelsea's semi-final against Fluminense, tickets that were on sale for $474 ended being on sale for $13.13, which about the price of the price. ah thirteen one or three
00:12:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
okay which is about the price of it
00:12:34
Ken Davies
Wow.
00:12:35
Ken Davies
That's a burger, isn't it?
00:12:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's about the price of a pint in the news ah in the New Jersey stadiums. And that's not the only one. Quarterfinal tickets for Chelsea and other teams, Al-Halal, Fluminense, Palmeiras, were going for $11.15.
00:12:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
eleven dollars and fifteen cents Now, wouldn't you, if you paid $474 because you think it was sold out and the bloke's sitting next to you saying, how much did you pay?
00:12:52
Ken Davies
Well, it's interesting, isn't it? Because i think it...
00:13:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, actually, they paid me $10 to come in.
00:13:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's dynamic pricing.
00:13:04
Ken Davies
Well, yeah, if you if you paid $430 for Chelsea against Fluminese, you deserve everything you get, quite honestly.
00:13:14
Ken Davies
Now, um but but what I would say about that is a couple of things spring to mind on that. um Firstly, the World Cup won't be like this competition. There'll be a lot more general interest in the World Cup. People will coming in. in i know a load of people from the UK are going over there.
00:13:28
Ken Davies
So I think the bottom of the market will be a lot higher. I am not a massive fan of dynamic trump pricing, really, because what I do think is it kind of prices the ordinary fan out of the best games.
00:13:40
Ken Davies
And you end up at a kind of a two tier situation where ah the rich get to watch the great games, the poor get to watch the crap games. I don't like that as a matter of principle.
00:13:51
Ken Davies
Maybe that's because I'm a raving communist. ah But maybe it's simply because I think that's the fair way of doing it. So I'm not a great fan. I don't like the idea of it. I think we're going to see it coming into the UK.
00:14:04
Ken Davies
Won't really happen in the Premier League because it're all sold out on season tickets anyway. But, you know, who's to say season tickets aren't going to go to a dynamic pricing situation? Imagine what would happen then. So, yeah, I'm not a massive fan. I just, ah you know, progress is progress, but sometimes progress is retrograde, in my opinion.
Zencastr Partnership
00:14:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I am absolutely astonished. I'm astonished, Ken, because I didn't think you had any principles.
00:14:27
Ken Davies
Why?
00:14:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I'm very glad to hear you've got at least one.
00:14:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Congratulations.
00:14:31
Ken Davies
Well, if you don't like that, I've got others.
00:14:33
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:14:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's the old gag goes. ah Right, okay, let's take ah get let's start let's start our deep, deep, deep, deep deep dive into Ecuador. and we're going to have a very brief look, but I mean brief, Ken, a brief look at the history of Ecuador football.
00:14:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Over to you.
00:14:48
Ken Davies
Right, i don't I don't do brief. And before we get there, as we know, as Ecuador knows, as Becaseyte knows, it you drawn it.
00:14:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, you got it right. You got it right. why you knew i knew i was right.
00:15:03
Ken Davies
I knew was going to happen. Okay, it's Becca Chase safe from now
00:15:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
I knew I was
00:15:08
Ken Davies
As we know, in football, it pays to get your team selection right here at Global Sports Podcast Network. We spent a lot of time selecting. Our delivery partner, we chose Zencastr. The boys at Zencastr are our friends at Zencastr. They make it easy.
00:15:21
Ken Davies
to bring your vision to life, share it with your audience wherever they may be. They've got 4K video and recording, they've got easy AI editing, top tier distribution. It's all done in one hit. You don't need two different things to get your podcast out there.
00:15:33
Ken Davies
It's all done in one place. So if you've got a story to tell, go and tell it with Zencastr and check the notes for details. You won't regret
Ecuador's Football Journey
00:15:41
Ken Davies
it. Now, Ecuador, La Tricolor, La Tricolor, because they play in a kit which has got, guess what, three colors.
00:15:52
Ken Davies
ah Yellow shirts, blue shorts, red socks, same as on the flag. So that's coming up in Kenny's quiz. They are a member, obviously, of Con Bemol. They are a team.
00:16:02
Ken Davies
And we're going to come into this in a bit more detail that you underestimate at your peril, because they're quite a team. And I'll explain why. History, real quick, they were invited to play in Argentina. No, they were not invited to play in Argentina.
00:16:18
Ken Davies
They were invited to play in the inaugural inaugural World Cup in 1930. Where was the inaugural World Cup in 1930 played, Nicolai?
00:16:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah The inaugural World Cup in 1930 was played in Uruguay. It was not only played in Uruguay, but it won by Uruguay as well.
00:16:38
Ken Davies
good, he's good, he's good, because he's been listening to, not only listening to the podcast, he's been flipping, researching the podcast for the last three months. They didn't particip participate in the 1930 World Cup. They said, thanks for asking, but actually, we're a bit busy that weekend, can't do it.
00:16:54
Ken Davies
And they didn't, in fact, choose to participate until 1962. Then,
00:16:58
Ken Davies
then They spent 10 occasions of the World Cup trying to qualify, and they didn't. They failed 10 times. Their first World Cup tournament was in 2002. They had a very strong World Cup in 2006, where they reached the round of 16.
00:17:16
Ken Davies
And actually, what's happened in the course of the last 20 years, they've developed from a struggling, smaller South American nation to become really a major force in South American football. If you end up being a major force...
00:17:31
Ken Davies
In South American football, you're a proper team. Because as we know, as we pointed out earlier, that is pretty much as competitive international football gets. So they've done it very well. Now, to prove the point, Ecuador have qualified in second place in the lit in the league, the very simple league that they play 16 games.
00:17:52
Ken Davies
In fact, they play 18 games. and they've qualified with two games to play. They started, by the way, the World Cup competition, the World Cup campaign, on minus three points, because they were docked three points, and they still finished clear second.
00:18:08
Ken Davies
They still qualified with two games to play. That minus three was a punishment for fielding Byron Castillo. Byron Castillo had a falsified passport, imagine.
00:18:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:18:20
Ken Davies
He had a falsified passport. We've come across that before on this podcast, by the way. And he was in the previous World Cup qualification process. He was found out. They were fined 100,000 Swiss francs.
00:18:33
Ken Davies
I don't know if anybody had those Swiss francs in Ecuador, but they had to fined them. And they were deducted three points. But they overcome it. And they overcame it in remarkable style. so In the World Cup qualification, they've played 16. They've won seven. They've drawn seven.
00:18:53
Ken Davies
They've only lost two. In that 16 games, Nick, 16 games, how many times have they conceded?
00:19:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've only conceded a couple of goals, I think, haven't they? um i
00:19:06
Ken Davies
In 16 games?
00:19:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
In 16 games, because they they they draw a lot of games, and they draw a lot of games nil-nil.
00:19:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah, two two or three. think they've conceded really low number of goals.
00:19:12
Ken Davies
They do.
00:19:17
Ken Davies
but five game Five goals. Five goals in 16 games against Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Colombia,
00:19:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Five, yeah.
00:19:27
Ken Davies
I mean, Colombia are ranked 14th. Uruguay is 16th. Against all these teams, they've played them twice. Only conceded with five goals. In the last 10 games, they've won four, drawn five, lost one. As Nick just alluded to then, having done his research, those five games that they've drawn in the last 10 games, every single one has been nil-nil.
00:19:48
Ken Davies
So it gives you an idea. and They've only scored eight, mind, but that probably does give you a little bit of an idea of what we're looking for here. Uh, and they've only conceded two goals in those 10 games. So extraordinarily solid at the back is something that we're pulling away from this, uh, from this analysis.
00:20:06
Ken Davies
They're ranking as of the 10th of July. So it's pretty much ah off the press. They were ranked 25th, but they ain't 25th. They're not a 25th ranked team. This is a team. Clearly the second best, second best team is out America. there better than Brazil on form.
00:20:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think they are, yes.
00:20:22
Ken Davies
Uh,
00:20:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
At the moment.
00:20:23
Ken Davies
So they've been low 71st back in 2017. And ever since that, you've seen this continuous rise up the rankings. So they are officially the fifth best team in Con Bemol, behind Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay.
00:20:46
Ken Davies
But the Road to the World Cup podcast is telling you... They're, in fact, much better than that. So if you're an outsider for your bet for the World Cup, you could do a far, far worse than putting your hard-earned dollar on Ecuador over Tuning.
00:21:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you could. Yeah, that's a really good analysis of where they came from and where they are now. So thank you very much. the the We're going to have a look at five key players now for Ecuador. And as always, I'd always like to start at the at the back. So I'm going to start with a goalkeeper, Hernan Galindez, who's a real, is' he's a very, very highly regarded goalkeeper.
00:21:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's 38 years old. He plays for Huracan in Argentina. In the 2025 season, he played 20 games and kept a clean sheet in 10 of them. So he's on great form. he's had a very, very good season.
00:21:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Also scored very heavily on goals prevented and errors leading to goals. But ah there is a question mark over him. And that is he only had 50% accuracy, sorry, 58% accuracy with his passing. And his long ball accuracy was only 34%.
00:21:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
So question is about how to best use him. Do you want to play out from the back? Do you want to go long? How are you going to do it But he is he's one of those players he's one of those players in the team that's that's a real linchpin because he sits behind a defense, which is mean.
00:22:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he's a major part of that meanness, as you alluded to. Very solid, very dependable, very experienced. He's out injur into the moment. Actually, the second to last qualifier, against Brazil in the warm-up as the teams ready to come out, he tore his shoulder muscle.
00:22:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
So he he missed missed the last two games of qualifying.
00:22:18
Ken Davies
Oh,
00:22:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Didn't do him too much bad. Gonzalo Valle came in for him for Brazil. a game in the Drew 0-0, so he kept a clean sheet again, ah but ah providing he can keep fit, he'll be 39, brings the World Cup, he'll bring a lot of experience and a very they depend on him quite a lot.
00:22:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that's your that's your goalkeeper, and I always like to look at your goalkeepers. ah Going to move up into the midfield area, and that's Moises Brasido, no surprise there.
00:22:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
One of the best midfielders the England, he's just won the Club World Cup, as we now know.
00:22:51
Ken Davies
Yep.
00:22:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
one of the best in the English Premier League.
00:22:52
Ken Davies
Quite a player.
00:22:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah, he's he's established himself, I think, as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. And starting now, and has in the last six months, really started to justify his £115 million pounds price tag when he moved from Brighton.
00:23:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Only 23 years old. he did ah yeah yeah he He achieved a rare feat last year, Kenny. He started every Premier League game for Chelsea, which is not easily done, is it? It's pretty hard to do that.
00:23:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
In fact,
00:23:20
Ken Davies
Well, they've got such a huge squad and rotation.
00:23:23
Ken Davies
If he's an ever-present for Chelsea, they must think the world of him.
00:23:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, no Chelsea player done that since Cesar Azpiqueleta in 2018-19. So it is a difficult thing to do. He's had 55 caps for Ecuador since making his debut in 2020 and he's absolutely crucial to their success.
00:23:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
and From one end of the scale almost to the to the other, and the ah the ah the matador of the team, if you like, the team, the the guy who provides all the inspiration both on and off the pitch, and that's Eno Valencia. 35 years old now, so he's the old man of the team, and he is coming towards the end of his career, but he remains a prolific goal scorer for Ecuador. He's had a great qualifying campaign, and He's a great leader on and off the pitch. He's a bit of a legend.
00:24:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's Ecuador's all-time leading goal scorer with 98 caps, 46 goals. So, you know, one in two ah pretty much, which is a great, that's a great, that's a great ratio in common ball.
00:24:23
Ken Davies
in Again, yeah, exactly. Great competition. They're not playing, they're playing rubbish every week. You know, they're playing good teams every time. So if you've got a one in two ah ratio, europe you're a goal scorer.
00:24:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, very much so. And I think i think people love him because he epitomizes everything about the Ecuador team. he He works his socks off, he runs hard, he plays hard and you know and and he's still going strong. He is very much the country star. So we really hope Enna Valencia, ah West Ham fans will remember him. Of course, he had a little spell there.
00:24:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah We hope that he will continue that and and we hope that he'll have a great World Cup because sooner or later he's going to have to sign off from international football. What a place and what a way to do it if he can have a good to have a good season.
00:25:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going to mention very briefly the centre-halves. I'm going to do two in one here. William Paccio, centre-back for Paris Saint-Germain, and Piero Inchapier, who's a centre-back for Bayer Leverkusen.
00:25:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Both young, both vibrant, both dynamic, and both ah key reason why Ecuador are so strong at the back. And you talked about yeah the fact they are so strong at the back.
00:25:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Paccio recently became the first Ecuadorian to ever win the Champions League. with PSG, not the Club World Cup, by the way, as we now know.
00:25:40
Ken Davies
know
00:25:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Very, very solid. ah Likewise, Hint-Japier, 23 years old only, but he's already had 115 games for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. So he's a mainstay of the Ecuadorian team with 46 caps already. So I thought that centre-half pairing should was worth a little bit of a mention.
00:26:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I'm going to throw in a wildcard to finish with, if I may.
00:26:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going to throw wildcard And let me ask you this, Ken. In all your many years, have you ever been described as a wonder kid?
00:26:03
Ken Davies
oh
00:26:13
Ken Davies
Oh yeah. Yeah. 1968, 1970, 1971, and 1973. nineteen sixty eight nineteen seventy and i seventy one and nineteen seventy three
00:26:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think you probably were last week, to be honest with you. In fact, I think you probably were two or three days ago, because despite your age, you're still a wonder kid when you put up against the rest of the residents of Kirk Langley. And I think you you lowered the national the ocean lowered the age there ah by by a good couple of years.
00:26:37
Ken Davies
Were you impressed with my footballing skills, by the way? ah Can I just mention that?
00:26:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, let me tell you story about it.
00:26:41
Ken Davies
I did.
00:26:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'll tell you a story about this. So as you know, Ken got me running ah football sessions for the children and young people of Kirk Langley at the summer fair. And we arrived there and I set up and I got all the cones out and the balls out and all that because I am a qualified football coach. and I've been coaching for many, many, many years.
00:26:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Ken said, oh, pass me the ball and the ball. So I have a wand of a left foot. So I floated one over to you right on your toe. Beautiful. And to be fair, you controlled it sort of about 10 yards away, but you controlled it in nonetheless.
00:27:10
Ken Davies
reasonably well.
00:27:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was well-reasonably.
00:27:11
Ken Davies
I pushed into space, Nick, if if you must know.
00:27:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, actual space. I can't kick it as far as you
00:27:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
like I can't kick as far as you can control it. But you did run after it, get it back, and then pass the ball ah to to your mate Bill. And immediately on passing the ball to your mate Bill, clutched your groin and think said, oh, I think I pulled something. I think I pulled something.
00:27:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, I mean, I know you're used to pulling your groin, but it's not normally when you are playing football.
00:27:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
So...
00:27:44
Ken Davies
Not in public, no.
00:27:46
Ken Davies
and And I did, I felt a twinge, to be honest, I did feel a twinge. I haven't felt a twinge like that since about 1989. I
00:27:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
but At least you're feeling something down.
00:27:56
Ken Davies
ah think you it was me groin, I think it was me groin. Anyway,
00:27:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
so that that Right, so I'm going to talk to you i'm going to talk to you about an 18-year-old kid called Kendry Payeth, who is an attacking midfielder, and he's breaking records left, right and centre.
00:28:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
In February 2023, aged 15 and 297 days. I mean, don't know. can't remember what I was doing at age 15 and 297 days, but was not making and two hundred and ninety seven days but it was not making up
00:28:17
Ken Davies
ah pretty I've got a pretty good idea what you wear, dearie.
00:28:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you've got it, you've got it. But I wasn't making my debut in professional football. But Pais was, and he made his highly anticipated debut for Independiente de Valle in the Ecuadorian Serie A. And he not only made his debut, but he scored.
00:28:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Therefore, becoming the youngest debutant and the youngest goalscorer in Ecuadorian top flight history. But it gets better, mate. Because only a few months later, in October 2023... He became the youngest scorer in CONMEBOL World Cup qualification history when aged 16 years and 161 days, he scored in a 2-1 win over Bolivia.
00:28:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
As I say, he's 18 now.
00:28:59
Ken Davies
Wow.
00:29:00
Ken Davies
Yep.
00:29:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's just moved to Chelsea, the club World Cup champions. ah Just moved Chelsea from Independiente de Vallée. £17 million. pounds He's going to be loaned out immediately to Strasbourg, coached by Liam Rossini, who's known to both of you and I from his time at Derby County and indeed Hull.
00:29:17
Ken Davies
yep
00:29:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very, very good coach. Really good coach. And I think he'll do really well under Liam. I think it's the right move. because he'll get a year or two of that experience. And it's a natural kind of stepping stone then, hopefully, to becoming come and make a big impact in the in the Premier League.
00:29:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, good luck to him.
00:29:35
Ken Davies
Looking forward to seeing him.
00:29:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
They are your key players.
00:29:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Key players to...
00:29:39
Ken Davies
would you describe him Would you describe him as the Ecuadorian Messi?
00:29:43
Ken Davies
Because I think this is a theme that we're developing.
00:29:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, it is. It is because every player in every region indeed every nation seems to be nicknamed the so-and-so Messi.
00:29:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we've had the Japanese Messi. We've had the Iranian Messi. We've had the Jordanian Messi we had last week.
00:29:58
Ken Davies
Hmm. Hmm.
00:30:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
and So sometime we'll do the... We've already done the Argentinian Messi. ah Yeah, I would say probably so.
00:30:05
Ken Davies
That's messy.
00:30:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's just Messi to you and I.
00:30:07
Ken Davies
Very good.
00:30:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, let's keep it.
00:30:09
Ken Davies
that's that's That's very good.
00:30:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. there there There are a few more, but I won't go over them because I haven't got time. But I think the point of that is, I think the point of all of this is that Ecuador are chock full of very good players, Kent.
00:30:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
How do they line up,
00:30:20
Ken Davies
Yeah, we didn't mention that.
00:30:22
Ken Davies
Well, very briefly, and it's a bit of an odd one because...
00:30:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
friend?
00:30:26
Ken Davies
like
00:30:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who did we mention? Who did we mention? Go on. Who did you want to mention quickly?
00:30:29
Ken Davies
S2 Peanion of Brighton who I rate quite highly as fullback and he plays fullback because can play wingback he's a good player
00:30:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:30:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, apologies so you know apologies for two or three players. you know Gonzalo Plata is another one who's worth the mention. But but yeah we could go through the whole team. They're full of good players.
00:30:46
Ken Davies
They've got some good players.
00:30:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
What I want to
00:30:47
Ken Davies
They've got some good players. This is this is this is the issue. We're spoilt for choice. Just on the formation, and I'll keep this fairly brief because the last two games they played 4-4-2. The last two games hasn't really mattered because they already qualified.
00:31:00
Ken Davies
Both ended up 0-0. I think if we're really looking for clues, look at the game before they qualified. ah They played Chile. Guess what?
00:31:11
Ken Davies
It was 0-0. and They played a 3-4-3. I think they're going to play 3-4-3 at the World Cup. Glenda's in goal. Back three of Hintz, Capier, Pacho and Odones.
00:31:25
Ken Davies
Estupinian steps up into the four-man midfield, and you've got three three up front. You've got Valencia in the middle, you've got Wawa, and you've got Plata supporting that. So I think because they're so solid at the back, because they've got Caicedo pulling the strings at defensive midfield, I think it'll end up going 3-4-3. So that would be my prediction. That's the official Road to World Cup prediction of how Ecuador are going to set up.
00:31:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we're going to touch on a little bit more about that when we do a a quick in-depth dive into the coach. Whose name is Ken?
00:32:01
Ken Davies
Becca Seise.
00:32:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wrong. It's Becky Chasey.
00:32:04
Ken Davies
Oh.
00:32:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you admitted that. So, yeah, we're going to have it. we'll We'll touch a little bit more on that in
Debate on Extra Time in Football
00:32:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
a little while. Right. The next thing I would like to discuss with you, my friend, is not a question that I am going to raise with you.
00:32:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a question that has been raised with us by Michelle in Houston in Texas in the USA. Fine place, fine country. And she has written into us via letter. wasn't really a letter, but I like to think of these things as letters to say, hello, Ken and Nick.
00:32:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
What a great job you're doing.
00:32:33
Ken Davies
Hello, Michelle. Bless her.
00:32:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
which will genuinely, that's what she said. And she's keen on the podcast, listens every week. She's asked us a question because we always encourage questions and we like to discuss every week a question that has been raised by you guys.
00:32:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
She's asked us, what is the point of extra time? What is the point of extra time? And I think particularly because there's been lots of controversy around it with the heat in America, three of the four semifinals, by the way, in the Gold Cup went to extra time. So it is a pertinent question.
00:32:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
But what's the point of extra time? I've always wondered what the point of extra time is because teams just generally play for penalties. Should extra time be scrapped and the game just end on 90 or 95 or 100 and go straight to penalties?
00:33:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Kenny, what do you think?
00:33:13
Ken Davies
I think she's right. I think it's, uh, that's, that's a lot of common sense being spoken there by Michelle in Houston. i think it was Houston. Um,
00:33:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was in Houston, yes.
00:33:22
Ken Davies
um Yeah, ah yeah it's it's a fallacy, extra time. Everyone who thinks extra time is going to be exciting, it never is. Or very, very, very, very rarely is.
00:33:32
Ken Davies
If you looked at the analysis of goals scored in the first half and the second half and extra time, extra time would be the lowest by some distance in terms of goals per minute. Never done the analysis, I'll try and do it for next time.
00:33:43
Ken Davies
But I'm pretty sure it would be at the lowest. Because what happens is people play reasonably normally for about six minutes of the 30 minutes of extra time. And then for the next 24 minutes, They just avoid making a mistake.
00:33:56
Ken Davies
um they And the second half is generally nobody's throwing, nobody's going ah all guns trying to win the game. They're going all guns trying not to lose the game.
00:34:06
Ken Davies
So I'm not a fan of extra time. I should be because it should be the most exciting part of the game. And it never, ever, ever is. Now, in the context of very severe conditions that people are going to be asked to play, and in the context of games that last 100 minutes, not 90, you add on the three minutes the end of the first half, you add on the seven minutes we always seem to get at the end of second half, you play in 100 minutes.
00:34:29
Ken Davies
Then you've got to play another 30 minutes plus. It's not good. It's not going to be good in those conditions. And you know what? it's not There's no point to it because it doesn't do anything. And anyone just everyone just gets bored after the first 10 minutes.
00:34:43
Ken Davies
So, yeah, I agree, Michelle. Let's go straight to penalties. What reckon, Nick?
00:34:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think you'll find any... We're based in the UK, as everybody knows, in Derby, in England, right in the middle of England. I don't think you'll find any English fan, or any England fan, I should say, who would rally against the scrapping of the extra time period on the basis that if we didn't have extra time, England would never have won the World Cup in 1966.
00:35:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, they might have...
00:35:10
Ken Davies
Do not think we would have beaten them on penalties?
00:35:12
Ken Davies
We would have beat Germany on penalties.
00:35:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
my
00:35:13
Ken Davies
No, maybe not. Maybe you're right. Maybe you're right.
00:35:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
was just trying to think. They penalties in those days, or they just had replays and stuff like that. I remember the days where you replays and carried away.
00:35:20
Ken Davies
They didn't have penalties. Yeah, penalties weren't anything.
00:35:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
They didn't have penalties. So there would have been a World Cup replay. Extraordinary.
00:35:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah But of course, England won the game in in in extra time. So where you there's listen, there's been lots of thought, and I'm amongst this, by the way, who believe that the England win the World Cup was more of a curse than it was a blessing because the pressure that it gets placed on england clubs every sorry in England teams every single World Cup is but ridiculous.
00:35:27
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:35:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is ridiculous amount of pressure. ah But, you know, there go. There have been some very, very exciting extra times. I don't think it's as dull and boring as you make out.
00:35:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
But looking at
00:35:59
Ken Davies
I think we need to do the analysis on it.
00:36:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think, yeah, looking at next year, yeah I think we should actually. Let's have a look at this in some depth and go and find out what the what the statistics say about and what the about how how teams approach this. There there has been academic data done on this because I've looked at it before, but certainly be interesting see how many goals are scored compared to 90 minutes. um Next year in the heat, yeah, I think that's a justification to say we don't need it next year World Cup because we don't want players playing in the heat for...
00:36:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
as long as they absolutely have to. And it's an interesting point. So thank you for raising that with us, Michelle.
00:36:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you for raising that.
00:36:32
Ken Davies
Just on that thought, before we lose leave it, I've just had a counter argument thought.
00:36:38
Ken Davies
If there was no extra time, do you think the last 20 minutes of full time, of normal time, would turn into the kind of attitude that people have in extra time? And so it would make the last 20 minutes of the normal time boring.
Listener Engagement
00:36:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I think that teams that play for extra time because they're the massive underdog or they're getting battered or they're just trying they'll do that anyway. ah don't think we'll see and I don't think we'll see any difference.
00:37:01
Ken Davies
Yeah, you're probably oh
00:37:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
i don't think we'll we'll see any difference you do sit You see teams, don't you, settling for extra time with about 10, 15 minutes to go in games.
00:37:11
Ken Davies
right. Oh, 100%.
00:37:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Teams with that mindset will just settle for penalties instead because the only reason they're settling for extra time is because they incredibly
00:37:15
Ken Davies
And that's what they're doing in extra time as well. So if they're settling for extra time, they're actually settling for penalties.
00:37:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think you're right. I think i think you're absolutely right. they're They're not settling for the last 10 minutes of the game. They're settling for the last 40 minutes of the game.
00:37:27
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:37:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I don't think we'll see any difference. I don't think we'll see any difference.
00:37:30
Ken Davies
Great question, Michelle, by the way.
00:37:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. There's going to be few questions coming in.
00:37:31
Ken Davies
Great question.
00:37:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ken, how do people get in touch with us?
00:37:36
Ken Davies
Well, the best thing to do, and by the way,
00:37:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
You should know this off heart. You should watching it on your papers. You should know this off by heart. I see you looking around on papers now.
00:37:43
Ken Davies
ah i don't, I don't know any of this off my arm. um I hope you're enjoying Rotor World Cup, by the way, as much as we are bringing it to you. And it's great we've got dedicated listeners, like Michelle, in Houston.
00:37:56
Ken Davies
ah really just make it all worthwhile. So continue to listen. Be an every weeker. That is really good. And subscribe. Leave a review. Share the podcast with other people who might like it because there's nothing quite like it yet.
00:38:09
Ken Davies
There'll probably never be anything quite like it, to be honest. We'd love to hear your thoughts, though, on the whole qualification process, on points of order, like Michelle raised, what our thoughts are on some of the chewiest and more ah interesting aspects of the the beautiful game.
00:38:27
Ken Davies
So the email to reach us is roadtoworldcup26 at gmail.com. Roadtoworldcup26 at gmail.com.
00:38:37
Ken Davies
You've got a pretty good chance of having your question read out because we love a question, don't we,
00:38:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
We certainly do, and we like debating points to do with football.
00:38:58
Ken Davies
I recognize that music.
00:39:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:39:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Which can mean it's
Ecuador Quiz Fun
00:39:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
one thing only. It's everybody's favourite time of the week. It is time, of course, for Kenny's quiz. Now, Kenny, you've been picking up, I've got to say, your' you're most of the seasons thus far, relegation form, turned into a bit of mid-table form last week.
00:39:13
Ken Davies
I did all right last week.
00:39:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you you did well, and i'm looking you build upon that. ah Three questions, as always. Let's see how you get on.
00:39:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've tried to make the...
00:39:27
Ken Davies
I've not done any homework.
00:39:29
Ken Davies
It'd be unfair to do homework.
00:39:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's quite difficult finding loads of questions about Ecuador, but um I've tried to make it easy because i want you guys to play at home. Anybody listening, i want you to play at home. Shout at your ah phones or laptops or iPads or whatever else you are listening to this on.
00:39:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
See if you can get it right.
00:39:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Question number one is La mitad del mundo.
00:39:48
Ken Davies
Mmm.
00:39:50
Ken Davies
Okay.
00:39:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
La mitad del mundo is a famous landmark in Ecuador marking what, Kenny? La mitad del mundo is a famous landmark in Ecuador marking what exactly?
00:40:02
Ken Davies
La mitad del mundo. Well, del mundo means world.
00:40:10
Ken Davies
So it's something of the world, presumably. ah La mitad. La mitad. Well, amitad sounds like friendship or the friend of...
00:40:25
Ken Davies
Friend of the world. Something like that. It's like friendliness, amitad, something like as As in amicable. And ami is definitely Latin for friendliness or love or something like that. So I'm going to go for a massive statue of Jesus with his arms wide open, welcoming people.
00:40:53
Ken Davies
all of the nation's pilgrims to his bosom.
00:40:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is that the one they nicked from Rio in Brazil, move down the road?
00:40:59
Ken Davies
What do reckon?
00:41:04
Ken Davies
It's quite similar to that one, yeah. It quite is quite similar. ah But this one is the Amitad del Mundo.
00:41:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good answer, Kenny.
00:41:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah, it is. Yeah, well yeah la mitad del mundo. That's a good get. I like your reasoning. I like your thinking. You're miles off, by the way. ah The answer to this and the answer this is very much in the question.
00:41:10
Ken Davies
This is the one for the whole world.
00:41:18
Ken Davies
Oh.
00:41:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
In fact, the answer to this is very much in the country that we're talking about today. So la mitad del mundo is a famous...
00:41:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, la... Yeah, M-I-T-A-D.
00:41:28
Ken Davies
Oh, hang on a minute.
00:41:29
Ken Davies
it Is it la mitad?
00:41:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was too late.
00:41:31
Ken Davies
Not la mitad. It's la mitad.
00:41:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
I have to...
00:41:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah see like
00:41:36
Ken Davies
Oh, i see I feel such a fool.
00:41:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, no change there. echo equity the answer The answer, think about Ecuador. What does Ecuador mean? Ecuador means it's on the equator.
00:41:47
Ken Davies
Equal? yeah yeah Oh, no.
00:41:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, it's on the equator. La mitad del mundo is a famous landmark marking what? Well, it's the kind of middle of the world, isn't it?
00:41:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's middle of the world. So the answer at the end...
00:41:59
Ken Davies
Yeah, but ah I would imagine the equator goes through quite a few countries.
00:42:03
Ken Davies
Why is Ecuador all special and has its own little marker? I bet there's a marker in Malaysia, Iran.
00:42:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, there probably is. There probably is. I mean, but that's not what we're talking about here. We're talking about Ecuador.
00:42:18
Ken Davies
No, fair enough. I got it wrong. i have to put my hands up and say I could have got that right as
00:42:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you could have done you could have done. I've got to say, with a little bit of um yeah a little bit of thought, you may have got that right.
00:42:30
Ken Davies
Yeah, it failed.
00:42:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
La mitad literally means half. So it's kind of half of the world. So, yeah middle of the world. Okay, let's move on. ah What ocean is to the west of Ecuador's most populated city, Guayaquil?
00:42:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
What ocean is to the west of Ecuador's most populated city, Guayaquil?
00:42:46
Ken Davies
Well, that's got to be...
00:42:51
Ken Davies
If it's to the west of Ecuador, and Ecuador's on the western side of South America... It has to be the Pacific. It couldn't be anything else. The Pacific Ocean.
00:43:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
It doesn't. Well, kind of. i'm but but'm going go I'm going to ask you for 50-50 here because I need you to be more specific about the Pacific. Did you like that? ah Because because they're yeah just two there's two Pacific Oceans.
00:43:09
Ken Davies
More specific about the Pacific.
00:43:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's North and South, essentially. There's a North Pacific and a South Pacific. What I need to know is which – and it sort of cuts Ecuador in half, so almost. ah So which is it, mate?
00:43:24
Ken Davies
Ah.
00:43:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
North or South Pacific?
00:43:26
Ken Davies
So you're really asking me what side that city is of the La Medad del Mundo? Because if it's to the north of it, it's probably North Pacific.
00:43:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Pretty much so. Give or take. Give or take.
00:43:36
Ken Davies
And if it's south, it's...
00:43:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's not I don't want to get into to much of this, but the it's not a 50-50 split in terms of the oceans, but it's broad.
00:43:38
Ken Davies
Well, I'm going to say...
00:43:45
Ken Davies
i'm going to say North Pacific.
00:43:50
Ken Davies
Can I have a second guess?
00:43:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
No. Because the answer is South Pacific.
00:43:53
Ken Davies
East. Oh, God.
00:43:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:43:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, keep passing on a pie possible. Right, okay. Come on, mate. Here's your bonus question.
00:43:56
Ken Davies
So far, so bad.
00:44:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
you've got time You've got time to rescue yourself here. Because of its location at equator, Ecuador experiences very little ah variation in daylight hours during the course of the year.
00:44:02
Ken Davies
Okay.
00:44:05
Ken Davies
Come on. Yeah.
00:44:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Both sunrise and sunset occur each day at the same clock time in the morning and the evening, pretty much throughout the year.
00:44:12
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:44:18
Ken Davies
Hmm. Hmm.
00:44:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
So what time, what clock time does the sun go up and the sun go down?
00:44:26
Ken Davies
Well, it's got to be 6 and 6. It's got to be 6 and 6 because if it's on the equator, um with him and because we've got 24 hours in a day, I would imagine the sun must rise at 6 in the morning and must set at 6 p.m. in the evening.
00:44:41
Ken Davies
At last! Oh, you can't imagine how pleasant that sound is to hear.
00:44:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Congratulations.
00:44:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
have a cheer and a clap from me. Because I said, oh, yeah, exactly that. Sun comes up at six o'clock in the morning and goes down at six o'clock at night. So well done, mate. One out of three, pretty much part of form. ah Well done at home. If you got all of those right, your Ecuadorian knowledge is very, very impressive.
00:45:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
Spotlight on Coach Becacece
00:45:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Before we finish with our predictions, just a couple of moments on the Ecuadorian coach, Sebastián Becachese. I'm a big fan, Ken, by the way. I'm a big fan of this guy.
00:45:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's been in a hot seat since ah August last year, so he's not been long with the team. He's a 44-year-old Argentinian. He has been instantly recognizable with his...
00:45:23
Ken Davies
No, he he's Argentinian.
00:45:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he's Argentinian, yeah. He's Argentinian.
00:45:29
Ken Davies
Oh,
00:45:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. why Why does that surprise you? It's like next door to Ecuador.
00:45:33
Ken Davies
right. I thought he might have been Ecuadorian.
00:45:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, he's not.
00:45:36
Ken Davies
But no, he's perfectly he perfectly entitled to be Argentinian.
00:45:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very...
00:45:40
Ken Davies
I don't hold it against him.
00:45:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I'm sure he'll be delighted to hear you say that, that he's got your blessing.
00:45:44
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:45:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Yeah, he's instantly recognizable for his long blonde hair. Now, ah recent photographs have suggested that he might have cut that off, which I'm a bit disturbed about, since he got the Ecuador job.
00:45:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because for years and years and years, you could you see him on a touchline, he's dancing around with that. He's got blonde hair flapping and flapping and flapping. But I've
00:45:57
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:46:04
Ken Davies
Has he got the kind of Kenneja look from the 1986 or 1992 thing?
00:46:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think yeahty maybe.
00:46:08
Ken Davies
Oh,
00:46:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
and I think he hasn't got a cut off completely, but I fear that it's not nearly as long as it was. So if that is the case, Sebastian, well, this is it.
00:46:15
Ken Davies
he's going to lose all his strength then, isn't he?
00:46:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Please, please, please, please, please grab back. Please grab back because you look so super cool.
00:46:21
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:46:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
and He has had international experience in the past and indeed some good international success in the past. And one of the reasons I like this guy is is is because of his background. He and and the people he's worked with. So he's been mentored essentially by two brilliant coaches, Jorge Sampaoli and Marcelo Bielsa.
00:46:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Two great coaches who know how to play great football. With Sampaoli, he ah managed Chile. So he was assistant, Sampaoli was boss. ah He took over the Chile national team in 2012. And twelve and we we know Chile aren't the great side of the moment. so So this is a landmark sort of bit of success.
00:46:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah They qualified for the 2014 World Cup, but just not only did that, but took Chile to the round of 16, where they only lost on penalties to Brazil after extra time, probably, but who knows. Then carried that on in 2015, where they won the Copa America on home soil.
00:47:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you Becky Chay, whilst he's not the manager, was recognised for his part in that But what like about him there, is's he's kind of then said, right, OK, going to go into the managerial spotlight, but he's going to do it the hard way.
00:47:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
So he went back into club football, With Universidad de Chile, ah hit and miss there, went to defence in Argentina, had a short spell, was again, did all right.
00:47:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
then Then got a job at Independiente, who were one of Argentina's top sides.
00:47:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And did okay, but didn't last very long. It's a bit like manager at Chelsea. You know, you could be great or you could be good, but if you haven't won everything in the first half of the league.
00:47:37
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:47:45
Ken Davies
But the expectations are very high.
00:47:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah out So expectations. And Argentina, they are vociferous, as you can imagine, when it comes to yeah pleasure or indeed displeasure. So he left there after a few months, went back to the fencer, had a short spell in Spain. um And so he's done it the hard way. And he's had ups and downs. and He's learned the hard way. And I like managers who do that.
00:48:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't like managers who just start the top and carry on at the top. Do you know what I mean?
00:48:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Does that make sense?
00:48:12
Ken Davies
Yeah, it makes a lot of sense.
00:48:15
Ken Davies
I like this thing with Bielsa. Bielsa's a maverick, isn't he? He's a maverick. He's ah he's an independently thinking per yeah manager who challenges things, does things differently to everybody else. He doesn't follow the crowd.
00:48:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, no, very much so.
00:48:30
Ken Davies
I get that impression.
00:48:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, very much so.
00:48:32
Ken Davies
i get but I get that from Becca Cheche, to be honest.
00:48:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and his style of play, I think, will fit that, as we'll talk about in just a moment. But when he when he got the job last year, there was a little bit of of confusion by some. There's a little bit displeasure in some quarters. Equally, there was a lot of pleasure because, broadly, Ecuador football has needed to modernise tactically and philosophically.
00:48:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Baker Chayse seemed very much as a modern coach. New ideas, high press, high energy, full-backs going on, rotations in midfield.
00:49:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's got the lot. They like to win the ball back quickly. They like to get it wide. They like to push on. And they know, as you discussed right at the top of the show, they've got a rock solid defence which will allow them to play.
00:49:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, he's only had a few months and a few games, a a handful of games, to try and impose that style. And I think we'll just see more and more and more of that as the games roll into the World Cup. I'm expecting to see a very different Ecuador next year than perhaps might have played last year, if that makes sense.
00:49:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think we will see quite a lot of attacking.
00:49:31
Ken Davies
Makes a lot of sense. It's going to be a really interesting comparison with Ancelotti, the old man Ancelotti, but obviously wily old fox at Brazil against this young, energetic, ah maverick kind of manager that we've got in Becker Chase.
00:49:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:49:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep, very much so
00:49:47
Ken Davies
One just quick thing to mention. ah just Just one thing to mention on that is...
00:49:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I will. Yeah, go on, you go, yeah.
00:49:53
Ken Davies
he's ah He was a defender. He right back. He wasn't a great player. He recognised he wasn't going to be a great player early in his career and ah went into management very early. But you can see he knows how to set up a defence.
00:50:06
Ken Davies
He knows how to marshal his defence. And that's absolutely key to this. so ah And he's not without some top players. So he really does have a just have a really good chance of of making a big noise at this World Cup, I think.
00:50:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think so. i think this might be his time. ah think this might be this might be an opportunity that will really catapult him into the next level. He's definitely one for the future. I think he could become a top, top coach.
00:50:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the fact that he's very active on the sideline, to put it mildly, I always love. I love a coach like that.
00:50:37
Ken Davies
We like that. If he was only a chain smoker, if only he could take up.
00:50:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. yeah
00:50:40
Ken Davies
so I miss managers who were chain smokers. I don't think we're ever going to see that again. But if he had that, he'd be ticking all the boxes. Can I just saying it before we move on to the last bit? I better talk about our partners at Bionique, the world's most personalized supplements, because your body is your unique.
00:50:58
Ken Davies
Tell you what, when I kicked that ball on Saturday, my body felt unique and and not in a good way.
00:51:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
you need more than supplement You need more than a supplement, mate, to get you out that hole.
00:51:07
Ken Davies
flipping it, not off. If they've got a groin supplement, I'll be buying boxes of it. Because without knowing what deficiencies you have, taking off the shelf for supplements can mean you're not getting enough of the nutrients you need. You're getting too much of what you don't need.
00:51:21
Ken Davies
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00:51:33
Ken Davies
Click the link in your show notes and our show notes. Use the code GSPN2025. You get a 40% discount on your first order, Nick.
00:51:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very good. Thank you very much.
00:51:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's why we both got unique bodies.
00:51:45
Ken Davies
Hmm.
00:51:48
Ken Davies
Yep.
00:51:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're going to finish the podcast as we always finish this podcast with a prediction of how we think our team is going to get on. Shall I go first, Ken? Do you want to first?
00:51:57
Ken Davies
Yeah, you go for it, Nick.
Ecuador's World Cup Predictions
00:51:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay. I sense that it's a bit of a perfect storm for Ecuador right now. They've got a modern, progressive, high-energy, high-active coach with a young, progressive, high-energy, high-active team that's packed full of quality players. And i think that's a perfect match.
00:52:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think they're goingnna surprise a lot of people ah next year. And i think in terms of South America's success, it's going to be very close between them and Brazil. I think Argentina are still a one step ahead. But Brazil and Ecuador, you I would put Ecuador slightly ahead of Brazil, but the Ancelotti factor, we'll wait and see.
00:52:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think Ecuador are going to have a great World Cup. I really do. I'm really excited to watch them play. They are one of my dark horse predictions. I think they're going to get to the quarterfinals. They might even get the semifinals if they have a fair wind and a fortunate draw.
00:52:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I'm going to pitch them right here, right now, flagging the ground, round of eight quarterfinals.
00:52:54
Ken Davies
Sounds eminently sensible. Very similar to what I've got written down. They are the second best team in South America. That makes them in with a real shout in a World Cup played in the Americas.
00:53:08
Ken Davies
they are you that hey they play They play on the equator. They're going to be pretty used to playing in conditions that they're going to encounter. They also play, I think, at some considerable altitude. That's going to help them.
00:53:22
Ken Davies
ah He's a great coach. He's a flexible coach. He's destined for big things. Obviously, as we've talked about ad nauseum really on this, they are great in defense, but the very competent around the park.
00:53:34
Ken Davies
So no one will want to play Ecuador. They are going to give Ecuador, Ecuador are going to give them a very difficult task to beat them. ah I fancy them in extra time. I think they're going to be a good extra time team.
00:53:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Shame they're going to scrap it because of you.
00:53:47
Ken Davies
Ultimately,
00:53:50
Ken Davies
Well, no, they're not going to scrap it because it's too sensible.
00:53:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
that was
00:53:54
Ken Davies
We're all dealing with FIFA here, aren't we? They're not scrap it because it'ss it's the obvious thing to do. So we're going to be playing extra time. Ecuador are going to benefit from that. Ultimately, ultimately, I just don't think there's enough goals in the team to really muster.
00:54:10
Ken Davies
They're not going to win the World Cup, and I think, for that reason. And because, really, in relation to the goals... good old Enna Valencia is he's carrying a lot of weight. i don't And I don't mean that in a physical way.
00:54:23
Ken Davies
I just mean that in the weight of expectations. He's the only one really who scores with any real regularity because let's be honest, they don't score a lot of goals. So they're going to be a fascinating team to watch. If they click, they could be real dark horses.
00:54:39
Ken Davies
But I agree. I've got them down as going out in the round of eight, which is the quarterfinals. They're probably going to come up ah they're going to come up up against Spain. going come up against the France.
00:54:50
Ken Davies
They're going to up against England. They get into the semis. But so i just ultimately, they're going to fall at that hurdle. But a great team watch, and I can't wait to see them.
00:54:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you very much. Right there are, folks. There we are. A deep dive into Ecuador that you will not find anywhere else on the entire planet. So we hope you've enjoyed that.
00:55:07
Ken Davies
You won't even find it in Ecuador.
00:55:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, we know more about Ecuador than Ecuadorians know about Ecuador right here, right there.
00:55:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we hope you enjoyed that. um Now we've got a couple more teams to discuss if qualified then, by the way, then Whilst we wait for more teams qualify, the podcast is going to branch out and go, we've got some very exciting news about what we're going to cover coming up very soon. But Ken, we've got a couple of teams to do, Australia and the Korea Republic. Who do you fancy next week?
00:55:14
Ken Davies
Well, you might.
00:55:33
Ken Davies
I fancy South Korea. Aren't they also qualified?
00:55:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah No, they're not qualified. They're not qualified because it's, is it no, because South Korea is not recognised anymore as FIFA recognised team.
00:55:39
Ken Davies
oh
00:55:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
they're They're now called the Korea Republic. If you get with the game, mate, they're now called the Korea Republic.
00:55:50
Ken Davies
The Korean Republic. They're always going to be South Korea to me.
00:55:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Why don't
00:55:53
Ken Davies
All the way through next week, I'm going to refer to them. No, it's not. I'll get annoying. I'll refer to them as Republic of Korea. But we all know it's South Korea, really.
00:56:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
you just call them the Korea Republic? What if you're going to call them?
00:56:05
Ken Davies
The Korean Republic. like
00:56:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, don't call them Republic of Korea because that's just as wrong as calling them South Korea. They're called the Korea public. That's what they're called. So why don't we just call them what they're called?
00:56:14
Ken Davies
Is North Korea still called North Korea? They're called something else now. I wish people would let me know when they change countries names.
00:56:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
It doesn't matter.
00:56:21
Ken Davies
Don't just do it willy-nilly without any kind of email.
00:56:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
It doesn't matter. So next next week, we're going to have a look at the what what called now Korea Republic, formerly known as as South Korea.
00:56:32
Ken Davies
Come on, Korea Republic.
00:56:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah but good they they know They generally have good World Cups. They've got some decent players. we'll do that. Until then, thank you very much indeed for listening. And as always, have a good week. Look after yourselves. Look after each other.
00:56:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
From Ken and I, goodbye.
00:56:48
Ken Davies
See soon.