Top four players left out of Ecuador's FIFA World Cup 2026 final squad
(Courtesy : Getty)
Ecuador are seen as one of the top contenders in the competition.
Sebastián Beccacece, manager of Ecuador, has released his roster of 26 players who will compete at the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026.
Moises Caicedo, Piero Hincapié, Willian Pacho, Pervis Estupiñán, Enner Valencia, and Gonzalo Plata are the stars of La Tri.
On Sunday, June 14, La Tri will face Ivory Coast in Group E to start their World Cup journey. Beccacece preferred other players in the squad, but several well-known stars have not been called up despite demonstrating their worth. We evaluate the players who were excluded from the Ecuadorian team.
List of players left out of Ecuador’s FIFA World Cup 2026 squad
| Rank | Player | Table |
| 4 | Byron Castillo | Barcelona SC |
| 3 | Robert Arboleda | São Paulo |
| 2 | Alexander Domínguez | LDU Quito |
| 1 | José Cifuentes | Toronto |
4. Byron Castillo
Due to significant disputes and the serious possibility of international sanctions, Byron Castillo was omitted from the Ecuador national team roster. Castillo was left off the squad by Ecuador’s coaching staff in order to spare the team from more “unfair” punishments and point deductions from FIFA at the World Cup.
3. Robert Arboleda
Due to manager Sebastián Beccacece’s preference for younger centre-backs, Ecuadorian defender Robert Arboleda was not called up to the national squad. Recent off-field disciplinary concerns and a serious contractual and disciplinary conflict with his club, São Paulo, also had an impact on this choice.
Willian Pacho and Piero Hincapie, two younger defenders from Europe, are the cornerstones of La Tri’s defence.
2. Alexander Domínguez
Alexander Domínguez, goalkeeper, has been left off the Ecuador national team’s World Cup roster. The seasoned custodian, who is 38 years old, still plays club football for LDU Quito, but he is not a member of head coach Sebastián Beccacece’s Ecuador national football team, who has opted to call up other goalkeepers.
1. José Cifuentes
Due to a recent knee injury and a decline in club form, José Cifuentes was not selected for Ecuador’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Prior to the competition, he had a confirmed knee injury that impacted his availability and match fitness.
During his most recent loan stint with Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC from Scottish team Rangers, he had trouble getting regular playing time, which resulted in manager Sebastián Beccacece favouring other productive midfielders like Moisés Caicedo, Alan Franco, and Kendry Páez.
Which big name has not been called up to the La Tri squad?
José Cifuentes.
Who is the captain of the South American giants?
Enner Valencia.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.