Esmeraldas, a poor province, participates in the World Cup.

With a miraculous display of strength, the Ecuadorian team defeated Germany to proudly advance to the Round of 16 of the World Cup. This achievement affirms the greatness of a poor land in northwestern Ecuador...

Throughout the 2026 World Cup group stage, along with the miracle created by Cape Verde, Ecuador was one of the most noteworthy highlights.

Their victory against Germany was worth far more than just a ticket to the round of 32. Ecuador, along with Venezuela, are two football nations that have never won a major South American title, yet right now, they are rewriting their history. Perhaps not a title, but a spectacular leap forward for a young generation. Most of Ecuador's stars come from a small, impoverished province, little known to many: Esmeraldas, a region near the Colombian border. This is truly a "gold mine" for Ecuadorian football, even though it has never had a professional team participating in Serie A Ecuador, the country's national championship.

Of the 26 Ecuadorian players called up by coach Beccacece for the 2026 World Cup, 10 were born in Esmeraldas. Nearly half the team – an unprecedented proportion for any World Cup team. Even more interesting is that Esmeraldas is not only poor and remote but also sparsely populated, accounting for only 3% of Ecuador's population. This means it has a population of just over 400,000. Among the 10 prominent players are defender Piero Hincapie, who recently won the Premier League with Arsenal , and Willian Pacho, a Champions League winner with PSG.

Piero Hincapie, one of the 10 Ecuadorian players selected for the 2026 World Cup, was born in Esmeraldas province. Photo: FIFA

You may also like

Live France vs Sweden (04:00 on July 1st): The status of the number 1 contenderTPO - France entered the knockout round as the strongest contender for the championship. The supercomputer Opta predicted they had an 18.66% chance of lifting the trophy. Can Les Bleus prove that against Sweden?

Ivory Coast 1-1 Norway: Manchester United star shinesIn the 74th minute, Amad Diallo dribbled past a series of Norwegian defenders before unleashing a powerful shot from a tight angle, bringing the Round of 32 match back to a tie.

Live World Cup 2026 Cote d'Ivoire-Norway: Waiting for Erling Haaland to shineErling Haaland is expected to continue his impressive form to help Norway overcome Cote d'Ivoire in their clash in Dallas in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

Esmeraldas is also the province that has supplied most of the players for the Ecuadorian national team in the last four World Cups: 8 players in the 2002 World Cup; 9 players born in Esmeraldas in the 2014 World Cup; 10 players in the 2022 World Cup; and the same this year: 10 players. In the match against Germany, the Ecuadorian team played with real strength, determination, and spirit. But it wouldn't be wrong to say that the Esmeraldas team defeated Germany. This is because coach Beccacece used 6 players born in Esmeraldas, including: Piero Hincapie, Willian Pacho, Pervis Estupinan (AC Milan), Nilson Angulo (Sunderland), Enner Valencia (Pachuca), and Felix Torres (Internacional).

But how did such a small province become so great? It's a fascinating story, because Esmeraldas is a multi-ethnic social structure, a region in Ecuador where the majority are of African descent. Life in Esmeraldas is difficult, the quality of life is low, and the human development index is the lowest in the country. More than 50% of the population of Esmeraldas are descendants of mixed-race people of color and white descent, forming an Afro-Ecuadorian ethnic group. This percentage of over 50% Afro-Ecuadorians is seven times higher than the national average (around 7%). This is the result of a shipwreck carrying slaves from Panama, which ran aground off the coast of Ecuador in the 16th century. The survivors, some of whom took refuge in the jungle, formed communities and joined indigenous groups in the inaccessible area. Others later merged with the indigenous population, forming a province, Esmeraldas. With its diverse ethnicities and African heritage, this region has produced many top athletes. Besides numerous world-class players, the province of Esmeraldas is also home to athletes who have brought glory to Ecuador in various sports, from basketball and athletics to boxing. Not only in the national football team, but in the 2019 Ecuadorian national championship, 119 players came from Esmeraldas, accounting for nearly half of the league's native players.

Meanwhile, Pichincha, the large province near the capital Quito, has no Ecuadorian players competing in the 2026 World Cup. Ecuador has never made a significant mark in World Cups. But the victory against Germany made all the difference, ushering in a new chapter for Ecuadorian football, with a small but great secret called Esmeraldas!

United States - Vietnam: Don't miss

Vietnam encourages US businesses to expand investment in high technology.On the morning of June 26th, at the Government Headquarters, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung received Mr. Jeff Place, Supply Chain Director of Coherent Group (USA). During the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam encourages US businesses to expand investment, especially in high-tech, innovation, and semiconductor industries.

Encourage U.S. businesses to expand investment in high-tech sectors.Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung said that Vietnam welcomes US businesses to continue expanding their operations in Vietnam, especially in high-tech industries and sectors with high added value.

Vietnam and the United States strengthen cooperation in addressing the consequences of war.VTV.vn - On June 22, General Secretary and President To Lam received Acting Secretary of the US Navy Hung Cao.

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/the-thao/worldcup-2026/esmeraldas-tinh-ngheo-du-world-cup-1046694