Critics throw out words like dedicated and unified to describe this year’s Ecuadorian side, which seem like easy ways to describe any team. However, Ecuador went undefeated at home during qualifying, with only a few inconsistencies along the way. Unity is a key element to this year’s team as more than half of the roster plays for local club Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito.

Veteran defender Ivan Hurtado (Al Arabi) is in some ways the heart and backbone of the team, with 100 caps under his belt. Former Southampton striker Agustín Delgado, known for his lethal headers, will play an important role in leading the team. “Tin” scored five times in qualifying along with teammate Edison Méndez (Liga Deportiva), the midfielder who also scored in La Tri’s only World Cup victory over Croatia in 2002. Méndez’s notable long-distance shot accuracy and creative strategies brings an intelligent element to the team’s game.

Promising young stars are also flourishing in Ecuador. Christian Lara (El Nacional) and Luis Valencia (Recreativo Huelva, Spain) are both important to watch as they shape themselves into solid players. Ecuador will be the services of young Franklin Salas (Liga Deportiva), as “the wizard” will miss Germany becuase of an injury. A surprise inclusion on the final roster was temperamental Argentina-based striker Ivan Kaviedes.