Beccacece goes from brink to World Cup history with Ecuador Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Sebastian Beccacece took charge of Ecuador in August 2024ByAdwaidh RajanBBC Sport journalistPublished20 minutes agoWhen referee Mary Victoria Penso blew the final whistle in New Jersey, Ecuador Sebastian Beccacece clambered over the stadium barriers to celebrate with his family.The head coach embraced his loved ones. Germany had been beaten. It was an emotional moment for Beccacece, for whom the final group-stage fixture could have been his last game in charge of Ecuador. The Argentine tactician had mentioned beforehand that he expected to step down if his side failed to reach the World Cup knockout stages.There were reports of a verbal confrontation between members of Beccacece’s family and supporters after their goalless draw against Curacao last week.
“We have the possibility of moving forward and, if things don’t work, I will have to leave a place I love very much but I know it’s all about results,” he mentioned in Wednesday’s pre-match news conference.
And for large parts of the game, it looked like both Ecuador and their manager were on their way out.
But the scenes at full-time after a famous 2-1 victory, which secured their place in the knockout stages for only the second time in history, suggested he has earned more time at the helm – not least because of the fighting spirit his side displayed to beat the four-time world champions.
“If Ecuador hadn’t won this game, he wouldn’t have been in the job,” former England captain Alan Shearer told BBC One.
“He was looking for a reaction from his players and boy has he got one. Look at his reaction to family members, fans and friends – he deserves it.
“Him and his players put a shift in – they gambled, they fought, they scrapped and they’ve come out on top.”
