Who is Nilson Angulo? Meet Ecuador's FIFA World Cup 2026 goalscorer vs Germany

The 23-year-old opened the scoring for La Tri on the world stage this year.

The Ecuador national football team are battling it out against the Germany national football team for their final group stage contest of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The New York-New Jersey Stadium is witnessing this entertaining outing.

La Tri did not have a lot to talk about their campaign on the grandest stage of them all this year until now. In their opening game, they fell prey to the Ivory Coast after their close encounter. The Ecuador national football team were held to a goalless draw in their second game against Curacao. In the first two games of the FIFA World Cup 2026, they failed to fire the ball at the back of the net.

For their final group stage game, the Sebastián Beccacece are up against the four-time world champions, Germany. The DFB Team scored an early goal after Leroy Sane found the net. Ecuador were quick to respond after Nilson Angulo scored the first goal for his side in the flagship tournament this year and made the scoreline 1-1. They are not looking to back down without a fight.

Also Read: Top 13 highest scorers in FIFA World Cup history ft. Kylian Mbappe & Lionel Messi

Nilson Angulo Profile

• Age: 23
• Position: Left-Winger
• Club: Sunderland

Blessed with fast pace, close control and the confidence to trouble the defenders, Nilson Angulo is one of Ecuador’s brightest young talents in recent years. He was born on June 19, 2003, in Quininde, Ecuador. He developed his technical skills while playing street football. Angulo learned to dribble in tight spaces and attack defenders without any fear.

He went on to join the youth academy of Independiente del Valle in 2015. Nilson Angulo continued at the club till 2018, where he developed technical ability, tactical awareness and attacking instincts. The club surely played an important role in his footballing education.

Angulo then joined Club Sport Norte América, where he continued his youth days and his performances on the pitch attracted interest from one of the biggest clubs from Ecuador. Some reports also claim that Angulo considers Brazilian star Neymar as his idol due to his dribbling abilities.

LDU Quito’s youth system was his next destination. At just 16 years old, he quickly established himself in the U-20 side of the club. After some time with the youth academy, Nilson Angula made his senior debut for LDU Quito in 2021 and went on to clinch the Supercopa Ecuador title with the club.

His efforts on the field helped him become the first-choice player on the team. Shortly after that, he made a move to Europe after joining the Belgian club R.S.C. Anderlecht. Like other talents from South America, he needed time to adapt to the continent. His breakout season was during the 2025-26 season, where he came up with top-of-the-line performances for his club.

Nilson Angulo made a move to the Premier League side Sunderland in the 2026 winter transfer window. His rapid development on the pitch also helped him earn a spot for Ecuador in the FIFA World Cup 2026. He has scored Ecuador’s first goal at the mega competition this year.

His experience with the national team increased after representing them at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.