Just days after Ecuador’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign came to an abrupt end with a 2-0 Round of 32 defeat to co-host Mexico, national team manager Sebastian Beccacece has confirmed he will depart his post, bringing a close to his 11-month tenure leading the South American side.
Appointed to the role in August 2024, Beccacece originally signed a contract that tied his term specifically to the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup, an agreement that expired once Ecuador exited the tournament. In an official statement following the knockout stage defeat, the Argentine coach acknowledged that the side failed to hit the ambitious target the staff and squad had set before the tournament.
“I don’t think we were able to achieve the feat we promised: to make this the best World Cup ever for Ecuador. It’s my turn to say goodbye. That’s why I have to leave,” Beccacece said. He added that he would have been open to extending his tenure, citing the strong support he received from both players and the Ecuadorian Football Federation’s executive team during his time in charge. “But I understand how this works and it hurts, but I think the decision was clear,” he noted.
Beccacece’s departure makes him the seventh national team manager to step down following their team’s elimination from this year’s World Cup. He joins a growing list of departing coaches that includes Marcelo Bielsa of Uruguay, Steve Clarke of Scotland, Miroslav Koubek of the Czech Republic, Ronald Koeman of the Netherlands, Sabri Lamouchi of Tunisia, and Hong Myung-bo of South Korea.
Beccacece’s tenure oversaw a standout qualifying campaign that saw Ecuador finish second in the South American qualifying standings behind only Argentina, booking their ticket to the 2026 finals. Once in the tournament, Ecuador’s Group E campaign got off to a rocky start: they dropped a narrow 1-0 opening match defeat to Ivory Coast, followed by a goalless stalemate against Curacao that left their knockout stage hopes hanging by a thread heading into the final group fixture against four-time champions Germany.
Against all odds, the Ecuadorian side pulled off one of the most memorable comeback wins of this year’s group stage. After falling behind early to Germany, they fought back to secure a 2-1 victory that earned them a spot in the knockout rounds as one of the best third-placed finishers. That result marked only the second time in Ecuador’s history that the national side advanced past the group stage of a World Cup.
The comeback win set up a Round of 32 clash with tournament co-host Mexico, but Beccacece’s side could not replicate their earlier magic. The Argentine coach admitted his team was thoroughly outplayed in the first half, as Mexico’s Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez both found the net before the halftime break, putting Mexico firmly in control. Though Ecuador pushed for a response after the break, they could not find the back of the net to spark a second consecutive comeback.
“We fought back, but we couldn’t find the goal that would have given us a boost,” Beccacece said of the defeat. The win for Mexico advances them to the Round of 16, where they are now set to face a potential match against tournament favorite England.