A barely credible12 of Ecuador’s World Cup squad in Qatar have a connection with one tiny club from the outskirts of Quito. Surprise pick Kevin Rodriguez only joined Independiente del Valle after the tournament, centre-forward Michael Estrada had a short spell with the club in his early twenties, while Jackson Porozo was briefly in the youth ranks as a teenager. The other nine graduated from the academy.
The Independiente del Valle connection was most clearly seen in central midfield. Ecuador’s anchorman was Jhegson Mendez, a club product who was sold abroad in 2018, making space for Alan Franco, who made his move in 2020, creating the opportunity for Moises Caicedo, who shone brightly and briefly at home before making the move to Brighton. Now the three of them were all together representing their country with distinction. Their former club, then, have rapidly become a global reference for youth development – from origins that could hardly have been more humble.
Independiente del Valle are from Sangolqui, a suburb of Quito with around 80,000
