Chelsea duo Moises Caicedo and Kendry Paez have been included in Ecuador manager Felix Sanchez’s 26-man squad for Copa America 2024.
Caicedo, 22, ended his club season strongly with several impressive performances helping Chelsea finish sixth in the Premier League.
The midfielder, who joined the London club from Brighton and Hove Albion last summer, made 48 appearances in all competitions last season for Chelsea.
Paez, 17, plays for Ecuadorian Serie A club Independiente Del Valle but has agreed a deal to join Chelsea in July 2025.
Gonzalo Plata, 23, has been left out of the squad. That comes after videos emerged on social media appearing to show Plata alongside Paez and 32-year-old defender Robert Arboleda and with a female dancer in a nightclub during April’s international camp in the United States.
The Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) condemned the video footage, saying at the time: “Images have been shared of events contrary to the values and principles that we defend and promote as an institution, which will be the subject of analysis for future squads. We reiterate our obligation to Ecuadorian football.”
Brighton midfielder Jeremy Sarmiento, who spent last season helping Ipswich Town gain promotion to the Premier League, has also been included alongside 22-year-old defender Piero Hincapie, who was part of the Bayer Leverkusen side that won the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal.
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Sarmiento’s Brighton team-mate Pervis Estupinan will miss the tournament after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury in April.
Former West Ham United striker and Ecauador’s all-time top scorer Enner Valencia was also named in the squad.
Ecuador, who were knocked out at the group stage of the 2022 World Cup after reaching the quarter-finals of the 2021 Copa America, have three friendlies against Argentina on June 9, Bolivia on June 13, and Honduras on June 16.
They then begin their Copa America campaign on June 22 against Venezuela, before facing Jamaica on June 22 and then Mexico on July 1.
Ecuador squad in full
Goalkeepers: Hernan Galindez (Huracan), Alexander Dominguez (LDU Quito), Moises Ramirez (Independiente del Valle).
Defenders: Piero Hincapie (Bayer Leverkusen), William Pacho (Eintracht Frankfurt), Felix Torres (Corinthians), Joel Ordonez (Club Bruges), Andres Micolta (Pachuca), Jackson Porozo (Troyes), Layan Loor (CD Universidad Catolica), Jose Hurtado (RB Bragantino), Angelo Preciado (Sparta Prague).
Midfielders: Carlos Gruezo (San Jose Earthquakes), Moises Caicedo (Chelsea), Alan Franco (Atletico Mineiro), Jose Cifuentes (Cruzeiro), Joao Ortiz (Independiente del Valle), Kendry Paez (Independiente del Valle), Jeremy Sarmiento (Ipswich Town), John Yeboah (Rakow Czestochowa), Angel Mena (Leon), Alan Minda (Cercle Bruges), Janner Corozo (Barcelona S.C).
Forwards: Enner Valencia (Internacional), Kevin Rodriguez (Royale Union Saint-Gilloise), Jordy Caicedo (Atlas).
(Tim Allsop/Getty Images)
