EAST RUTHERFORD — Sebastian Beccacece, the manager of Ecuador’s national team, is firmly implanted at the cross-section of soccer and spirituality, for there is no other man on this planet who can take a sport and mold it into a meandering message about life, faith, and the ties that bind.
Especially after what he navigated his team through.
After an upset 1-0 loss to the Ivory Coast to start Group E play at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and a goalless draw to minnows Curacao, Ecuador stared down the barrel of elimination against four-time winners Germany on Thursday evening at MetLife Stadium, and came out on the other side alive.
Falling behind 1-0 just two minutes in, La Tri came back from the brink thanks to a ninth-minute strike by Nilson Angulo and perhaps the most famous goal in program history, a 78th-minute flick off the foot of Gonzalo Plata. The 2-1 win gave them four points in the group stage, and a berth into the Round of 32 as one of the top eight third-place finishers.
It’s a great escape predicated on belief instilled by the philosophical Beccacece, who found a way to navigate a side with significant pre-tournament expectations as a legitimate dark horse to go far in the tournament, and find a way to survive.
“For as long as we’re still alive, we need to seek that light,” Beccacece began. “If we can’t find that light, we’ll have to deal with that sorrow, that pain when you don’t achieve what you dreamt of.”
But there are no frowns for those clad in yellow, blue, and red from East Rutherford, NJ, to Quito.
“We’re talking about an entire country that is now celebrating in Ecuador,” Beccacece said. “Let them enjoy, let them have a beer, and celebrate with their friends and family members, those beloved ones that passed away. We’re going to celebrate with our family… This Ecuadorian national team, it makes people fall in love with them, doesn’t it?”
It certainly does.
Ecuador’s ability to pick itself up off the canvas and deliver one of the most thrilling matches yet of the World Cup is one thing. But the gospel of Beccacece brings it to an entirely different level — something that should be so incredibly refreshing for those steeped in American professional sports.
There is no coach speak or drawn-out cliches. There is no secrecy or an overarching belief that they know more than everyone else in the room.
Instead, there are nods to the Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, which Beccacece has adopted as his dogma: “It is better to die standing than live on your knees.”
“This quote helped me out a great deal,” he said. “It gives me strength. In loneliness, you cannot always listen to what you hear. You have to keep pushing forward, you have to ignite your fire.”
It had been getting plenty loud around both Ecuador and Beccacece. Criticism was understandably growing after the two disappointing results to the Ivory Coast and Curacao, especially considering they flew through South American qualification by finishing second only behind the defending world champions, Argentina, while conceding five goals in 18 matches.
But instead of panicking and making sweeping changes, Beccacece stayed the course.
“It was just a matter of results,” he continued. ‘We have a huge emotional impact and we play to win. We are not here to suffer a defeat in droves. But when things don’t go your way, and the team deserves what you believe they deserve, you try to maintain that idea. We didn’t try to change anything…
“We are navigating this with peace of mind… Do you think I am calm? I am thankful to life, to Ecuador, to the president of the FA, to this group of footballers, to my staff, to my working team, and to the Ecuadorian people for giving us this opportunity. We come into this life to feel. Sometimes we feel the pain of defeat, but sometimes we feel the satisfaction of victory. But the most important thing is to strike a balance.”
Ecuador now returns to their base camp in Ohio to prepare for their knockout match on July 1 against the winner of Group L, which will most likely be England — a match they will be considered underdogs in once again. But perhaps there is a bit more magic in the teachings of Beccacece.
“We have 27 warriors who want the best for Ecuador,” he said. “I don’t know how far we’ll go, but we will fight… That’s what we’re doing. We never feel like we’re in hell, nor do we feel like we’re in heaven. We have our feet grounded on earth.”
For more from the World Cup like this Sebastian Beccacece feature, visit AMNY.com
