Beccacece Denies Quotes and Praises Argentina

According to Clarín, Sebastián Beccacece clarified in Guayaquil that statements attributed to him before Ecuador’s clash with Argentina had been fabricated. The Argentine coach, who secured Ecuador’s place in the 2026 World Cup within just a year in charge, insisted he never predicted a win over the reigning champions. “I never make declarations before a match. I always choose respect. I’m not that type of coach,” he said.

Ecuador, coming off a goalless draw in Paraguay, remains in strong qualifying position, but Beccacece acknowledged his side still needs greater consistency. He dedicated much of his press conference to highlighting Lionel Scaloni’s project. “Argentina is not only the current World Cup and Copa América champion, they’ve had seven years of work with a very sophisticated, genuine and spontaneous style. They usually control matches and dictate the tempo wherever they play,” he explained.

Beccacece, who previously worked with Scaloni on Jorge Sampaoli’s staff ahead of Russia 2018, outlined the magnitude of the challenge. “They’re unpredictable. They can attack through the middle or the flanks, play with two strikers, wingers who drift inside or fullbacks pushing forward. The key will be to make them uncomfortable and see if we can challenge them for possession,” he said.

The coach, now 11 matches into his tenure with Ecuador, also touched on Lionel Messi’s farewell to World Cup qualifying, following Argentina’s win over Venezuela at the Monumental. “It’s moving. His longevity is astonishing. He celebrates a goal in MLS like it’s his first. That teaches something. He may not intend it, but his passion is a lesson for everyone,” Beccacece noted, underlining his admiration for the Argentine captain.