The Most Famous

SOCCER PLAYERS from Ecuador

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This page contains a list of the greatest Ecuadorean Soccer Players. The pantheon dataset contains 21,273 Soccer Players, 63 of which were born in Ecuador. This makes Ecuador the birth place of the 50th most number of Soccer Players behind Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Ecuadorean Soccer Players of all time. This list of famous Ecuadorean Soccer Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Ecuadorean Soccer Players.

Photo of Alberto Spencer

1. Alberto Spencer (1937 - 2006)

With an HPI of 56.10, Alberto Spencer is the most famous Ecuadorean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 28 different languages on wikipedia.

Alberto Pedro Spencer Herrera (6 December 1937 – 3 November 2006) was an Ecuadorian footballer who played as a forward, and is widely regarded as one of the best Ecuadorian men's footballers of all time. He is probably best known for his still-standing record for scoring the most goals in the Copa Libertadores, the premier club tournament in South America. He was elected the 20th best South American footballer of the 20th century in a poll by the IFFHS in 2004. He was known as "Cabeza Mágica" (Spanish for magic head).

Photo of Enner Valencia

2. Enner Valencia (b. 1989)

With an HPI of 50.07, Enner Valencia is the 2nd most famous Ecuadorean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 54 different languages.

Enner Remberto Valencia Lastra (born 4 November 1989) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Internacional and captains the Ecuador national team. He previously played for Emelec in Ecuador, where he won the 2013 Ecuadorian Serie A and was awarded the Copa Sudamericana Golden Boot in 2013. Valencia also played for Pachuca in Mexico, being awarded the Liga MX Golden Boot in the 2014 Clausura tournament. He joined English club West Ham United for an estimated £12 million in July 2014, almost breaking the club's signing record. In August 2016, Valencia went out on loan to Everton for the season, before being sold to Mexican club Tigres UANL in July 2017. At Tigres, he won Liga MX's 2017 Apertura and 2019 Clausura tournaments, and finished runner-up in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League, winning the latter competition's Golden Boot. In August 2020, Valencia signed for Fenerbahçe in Turkey and won the Turkish Cup in his final season before joining Brazilian club Internacional in mid-2023. At the international level, Valencia has earned over 80 caps for Ecuador since his debut in 2012. He represented the nation at the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and 2022, and the Copa América in 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2024. Widely regarded as one of the best Ecuadorian players of all time, Valencia is Ecuador's Ecuador national football team#Top goalscorers Second all-time top goalscorer with 41 goals, after Jaime Ivan Kaviedes with 43 and holds the record for the most goals scored in the World Cup for his national team, with six.

Photo of Antonio Valencia

3. Antonio Valencia (b. 1985)

With an HPI of 49.51, Antonio Valencia is the 3rd most famous Ecuadorean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 63 different languages.

Luis Antonio Valencia Mosquera, known as Antonio Valencia (Spanish pronunciation: [anˈtonjo βaˈlensja]; born 4 August 1985), is an Ecuadorian former professional footballer who played primarily as a right-sided player throughout his career, initially as a right winger, before developing into a right-back. He is regarded as one of the best Ecuadorian footballers of all time. After progressing through the youth system at El Nacional, Valencia became a first team regular and made over 80 appearances for the club. He won the Ecuadorian Serie A with them before signing for La Liga side Villarreal in 2005. He only made two league appearances for the Spanish side in between loan spells at Recreativo for the 2005–06 season and later English Premier League club Wigan Athletic from 2006 to 2008. Wigan Athletic later signed Valencia on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee in January 2008. His performances for Wigan Athletic soon attracted attention from several high-profile clubs, and he signed for Manchester United in June 2009. His time there established him as one of the greatest Ecuadorian players of all time, as Valencia was voted into the PFA Team of the Year in his debut season, and went on to win two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, two League Cups, three FA Community Shields and the UEFA Europa League, captaining the club in his final season. After ten years with United, Valencia returned to Ecuador in July 2019, signing with LDU Quito, with whom he won the inaugural Copa Ecuador in his first season. He announced his retirement in May 2021. Valencia made his Ecuador debut in 2004 and has represented his country at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the 2007 Copa América, the 2011 Copa América, the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the Copa América Centenario and the 2019 Copa América. Valencia won 99 caps and scored 11 goals for his country.

Photo of Felipe Caicedo

4. Felipe Caicedo (b. 1988)

With an HPI of 45.22, Felipe Caicedo is the 4th most famous Ecuadorean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 34 different languages.

Felipe Salvador Caicedo Corozo (born 5 September 1988) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a striker. A full international from 2005 to 2017, Caicedo represented Ecuador at the Copa América in 2007 and 2011, as well as at the 2014 World Cup. Caicedo is also Ecuador's sixth highest goalscorer of all-time with 22 goals to his name.

Photo of Iván Hurtado

5. Iván Hurtado (b. 1974)

With an HPI of 43.89, Iván Hurtado is the 5th most famous Ecuadorean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 32 different languages.

Iván Jacinto Hurtado Angulo (born 16 August 1974) is an Ecuadorian politician and former professional footballer who played as a centre back. With 168 international appearances for Ecuador between 1992 and 2014, he was the most capped South American male footballer of all time before Lionel Messi overtook him during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 17th-most-capped male international footballer.

Photo of Moisés Caicedo

6. Moisés Caicedo (b. 2001)

With an HPI of 42.94, Moisés Caicedo is the 6th most famous Ecuadorean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 37 different languages.

Moisés Isaac Caicedo Corozo (born 2 November 2001) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Chelsea and the Ecuador national team.

Photo of Carlos Tenorio

7. Carlos Tenorio (b. 1979)

With an HPI of 42.27, Carlos Tenorio is the 7th most famous Ecuadorean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 29 different languages.

Carlos Vicente Tenorio Medina (born 14 May 1979) is an Ecuadorian former footballer who last played for Ecuadorian club Atlético Saquisilí. From 2001 to 2009, he played for the Ecuador national football team.

Photo of Agustín Delgado

8. Agustín Delgado (b. 1974)

With an HPI of 41.62, Agustín Delgado is the 8th most famous Ecuadorean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 31 different languages.

Agustín Javier Delgado Chalá (born 23 December 1974) is an Ecuadorian politician and former professional footballer who played as a forward. Nicknamed Tín, he was the all-time top scorer for the Ecuador national team with 31 goals in 71 games before being overtaken by Enner Valencia. Delgado played professional club football in Ecuador, Mexico and England. Delgado started his career in his native Ecuador with ESPOLI in 1991 before joining Barcelona SC in 1994, where he played for one year, winning the Ecuadorian Serie A in 1995. He then joined El Nacional and again won the Ecuadorian league title, before returning to Barcelona and securing a third consecutive league winner's medal. In 1998, Delgado moved to Mexico where he had a brief spell at Cruz Azul. He joined CONCACAF champions Necaxa in 1999 and represented the club at the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship, scoring against South Melbourne in the group stage, and in the third-place play-off against Real Madrid he scored in normal time as well as the winning penalty in the shootout. In late 2001, after scoring nine times as Ecuador qualified for its first World Cup, Necaxa accepted a £3.5m bid from English Premier League club Southampton. Delgado moved to Southampton in 2001. Unfortunately, he was dogged by injuries which restricted him to only a few games during his time with the Saints. Southampton tried to get him back to fitness after the injury he picked in Necaxa prior to the 2002 World Cup Qualifiers, but to no avail. It might have been a different story had the striker refused to play while injured during the 2002 World Cup. The pressure on him to play was enormous, as Ecuadorians believed that, with 9 goals during the 2002 World cup qualifying campaign, he was indispensable; and naturally, Delgado dreamed of playing in a FIFA World Cup. All that led to his decision to play despite injury while heavily medicated on painkillers. Upon return to England, it was found that his injury had become chronic, effectively destroying his future in Europe. He also alienated manager Gordon Strachan by refusing to learn English, and Strachan felt the player had been forced on the club and was very high maintenance. When pressed for his plans for the Ecuadorian, Strachan replied "I've got more important things to think about. I've got a yoghurt to finish by today, the expiry date is today. That can be my priority rather than Agustin Delgado." However, Delgado scored the winning goal for Southampton in a 3–2 home victory over the then Premiership champions Arsenal. He also scored a goal against Liverpool in the League Cup. After the unhappy spell at Southampton, he was released and returned to Ecuador to play for a Quito based club Aucas, which was topping the Ecuador Serie A with the likes of René Higuita and Gustavo Figueroa leading the way. He played an impressive half season and his return to form led to his joining Mexican club UNAM, where he helped the team win the league championship. Delgado was then transferred to Barcelona SC from UNAM on 1 January 2005 for an undisclosed fee. While at Barcelona SC, he teamed up with his preferred Ecuador strike partner Iván Kaviedes. With these two formidable strikers leading the attack, the Guayaquil based club were expected to not only win championships, but to dominate the league. This did not happen. Delgado started strongly, but ended the season with only 7 goals. He was subsequently accused by the club president, Isidro Romero Carbo, of not taking the club seriously despite earning top wages. Following reports that Tin was partying late at wild clubs with teammates Edwin Villafuerte and Walter Ayovi, prompting their exits from the prestigious club. Delgado then joined L.D.U. Quito, a team regularly featuring in the Copa Sudamericana and Copa Libertadores. With his new club, Tin again returned to scoring form and with his goal exploits, he helped Liga surprisingly reach the quarterfinals of the 2006 Copa Libertadores. Delgado was one of eleven players banned for between 2 and 12 months for taking part in a vicious brawl at the end of LDU's 1–1 draw at home to Barcelona on 17 December 2006. Four Barcelona players were injured in the incident on the last day of the season which shocked the country and overshadowed the title won by El Nacional. The Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) said on its web site that the incident started with a clash between Delgado and his marker, Víctor Montoya. Montoya later denied that he had deliberately kicked Delgado's injured knee and received no sanction from the FEF. Delgado later said in the National Congress of Ecuador that he had been persecuted by the FEF. Delgado was then involved in a scandal at a night club on New Year's Eve and left the country to try to continue his career in Major League Soccer. However, FIFA later blocked this by extending the playing ban internationally. The suspension was subsequently changed at an Extraordinary Congress of the FEF, and Delgado was allowed to resume his playing career after 6 months' suspension. In 2008, he was part of the squad that won the Copa Libertadores, although he did not play in the final decisive game. In March 2009, the forward signed for Emelec until December 2009. During the 2010 season, he was a player/administrator at Valle de Chota in his native town. He helped guide the club to promotion from the Segunda Categoria to the Serie B for the 2011 season. In February 2011, he announced his retirement from professional football to focus on administering the club. Delgado's first goal at the 2002 FIFA World Cup was also the first goal for the Ecuadorian team in a World Cup, against Mexico. Delgado was joint top scorer (with Hernán Crespo) in the CONMEBOL qualifiers for the tournament with 9 goals. Delgado was known for being a strong player and an excellent finisher with either foot, but especially for his aerial prowess towering over opposing defences. He had a superb sense of positioning in the box and excellent field awareness. All this has given Tin an iconic status in Ecuador, and he obtained a reputation as one of the most feared South American strikers. He helped Ecuador qualify once again for the World Cup, contributing 5 goals in 10 games but stated that Germany 06 would be his last. In the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Delgado scored in the 80th minute in Ecuador's shock 2–0 win in their opening match against Poland. In the following game, he scored in the 55th-minute goal in their 3–0 victory over Costa Rica, enabling Ecuador to qualify alongside hosts Germany for the last 16. After the 2006 World Cup, Delgado announced his retirement from international football. He finished his international career with 71 caps and a record 31 goals for the national team. In the Ecuadorian general election of 2013 Delgado was chosen as member of the National Assembly for Imbabura Province. Delgado serves as member of PAIS Alliance. Ulises de la Cruz and Iván Hurtado, former teammates of Delgado at the national team also serve for the Pais Alliance in the National Assembly. Delgado, who has African ancestry, stutters and has been the object of ridicule on social media and by the cartoonist Xavier Bonilla in the newspaper El Universo. The cartoonist and the newspaper were sanctioned by La SUPERCOM, La Superintendencia de la Información y Comunicación, an Ecuadorean agency that regulates communications. According to Freedom House, a Washington, DC based NGO, the sanction was evidence of censorship by the Correa government. As of 3 April 2015 Scores and results list Ecuador's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Delgado goal. Barcelona SC Serie A: 1995, 1997 El Nacional Serie A: 1996 Necaxa CONCACAF Champions Cup: 1999 UNAM Primera División: 2004 Apertura L.D.U. Quito Serie A: 2007 Copa Libertadores: 2008 Ecuador Canada Cup: 1999 Agustín Delgado at Soccerbase Agustín Delgado at National-Football-Teams.com International statistics at rsssf Agustín Delgado shot a goal against Costa Rica at Worldcup 2006 Player's own website (Spanish) Official Myspace

Photo of Álex Aguinaga

9. Álex Aguinaga (b. 1968)

With an HPI of 41.50, Álex Aguinaga is the 9th most famous Ecuadorean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

Álex Darío Aguinaga Garzón (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈaleks aɣiˈnaɣa], born 9 July 1969) is an Ecuadorian former professional football player and manager. A midfielder during his playing career, he is one of the all-time cap leaders for Ecuador with 109 matches, scoring 23 goals. Aguinaga is known as one of the best Ecuadorian men's footballers of all time. On the club level, Aguinaga has played for Deportivo Quito, Necaxa, Cruz Azul and LDU Quito.

Photo of Édison Méndez

10. Édison Méndez (b. 1979)

With an HPI of 39.85, Édison Méndez is the 10th most famous Ecuadorean Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 32 different languages.

Édison Vicente Méndez Méndez (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈeðisom ˈmendes]; born March 16, 1979, in Ibarra) is an Ecuadorian football coach and former player who played as either a winger or an attacking midfielder. He is the current manager of club deportivo La Union. Méndez is a former Ecuador International and is the second-most capped player for his country.

People

Pantheon has 78 people classified as Ecuadorean soccer players born between 1937 and 2007. Of these 78, 76 (97.44%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Ecuadorean soccer players include Enner Valencia, Antonio Valencia, and Felipe Caicedo. The most famous deceased Ecuadorean soccer players include Alberto Spencer, and Christian Benítez. As of April 2024, 15 new Ecuadorean soccer players have been added to Pantheon including Eduardo Hurtado, Piero Hincapié, and Leonardo Campana.

Living Ecuadorean Soccer Players

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Deceased Ecuadorean Soccer Players

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Newly Added Ecuadorean Soccer Players (2024)

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