Ecuador once again qualified through the highly competitive CONMEBOL qualifiers. Under new coach Sebastián Beccacece, the team aims to prove that it can compete at the world-class level. The final group stage match against Germany will be a true test.

Coach Sebastián Beccacece named three goalkeepers to La Tri’s roster: Hernán Galíndez, Moisés Ramírez, and Gonzalo Valle. Ecuador will face Germany, Curaçao, and Ivory Coast in Group E—and boasts one of the strongest defensive teams in the entire South American qualifying process: Just five goals conceded in 18 qualifying matches, the fewest of any CONMEBOL team. The trio of goalkeepers represents three generations—from the 39-year-old veteran to the Copa Sudamericana champion to the player in Greece’s top division.

Galíndez is 39 years old—and has a remarkably late start to his national team career with Ecuador. He has spent his entire career in South America: Rosario Central, Quilmes, then 13 years with Universidad Católica in Chile, one season with Universidad de Chile, and two with Aucas in Ecuador, before moving to CA Huracán in Argentina in January 2024. He didn’t make his senior international debut for Ecuador until October 2021—at age 34—after years of being overlooked for national team selection. What followed was a rapid rise to the number one spot: He started every match throughout the World Cup qualifiers and played a key role in ensuring that Ecuador conceded only five goals. At Huracán this season, he’s delivering his most consistent club performances in years, with a FotMob rating of 7.25. With 34 international appearances, he’s the most experienced goalkeeper in the trio—and Beccacece’s clear first choice.

Ramírez, 25, has had an unusual mix of success and patience throughout his career. He has spent nearly his entire career at Independiente del Valle, with a loan to Real Sociedad B in Spain in 2019 serving as his only international stint. With Independiente, he won the 2022 Copa Sudamericana, the 2023 Recopa Sudamericana, and the 2022 Copa Ecuador. In the summer of 2025, he transferred on a free transfer to AE Kifisia in the Greek Super League, where he has started 20 league matches this season as the first-choice goalkeeper. Internationally, he was already part of the 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar and the 2024 Copa América squad—though he did not see any playing time. With six international appearances, he is Beccacece’s reliable second option—a goalkeeper with extensive club experience and the right background for this role.

Valle is 30 years old and has taken an unusually long path to the national team. After seven years with Guayaquil City, he transferred to LDU Quito in January 2024, where he immediately established himself as the starting goalkeeper and competed with the club in the 2025 Copa Libertadores group stage. He didn’t make his international debut until January 2025 in a 0–0 draw against Chile—at the age of 28. With only two international appearances, he is the least experienced goalkeeper of the trio. The fact that Beccacece nominated him nonetheless is a testament to his consistent performance at the top level in Ecuador. For Valle, the World Cup is the first and biggest moment of his national team career.