Following Beccacece’s departure, the federation has chosen the former River coach to take over the Tricolour in the next World Cup cycle. It will be his first experience with a national team.
After several months without a job, since leaving River Plate, Marcelo Gallardo is very close to resuming his coaching career. “El Muñeco” is the Ecuadorian Football Association’s preferred candidate to lead the Tricolor through the next World Cup cycle.
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Although Federal President Francisco Egas previously denied that the 50-year-old was relevant, a face-to-face meeting has already taken place between the parties, and negotiations are underway.
Both parties are now working to reach an agreement as quickly as possible. They discuss both the sporting project for the national team and the financial and logistical aspects of the contract.
If the transfer becomes a reality, this will be Gallardo’s first assignment as national team coach. After his debut as head coach of Nacional in 2011, he took over River Plate in June 2014 and became the club’s all-time winningest manager. In his first spell at Núñez, which lasted over eight years, he won 14 trophies – seven national and seven international – including two Copa Libertadores titles, as well as the memorable victories over arch-rivals Boca.
After leaving River, Gallardo had a brief stint in Saudi Arabia as coach of Al-Ittihad, before returning to River in August 2024. However, the second period was far from the expected success – he did not win any trophies and resigned after the 3-1 win over Banfield at the Monumental in February. It was precisely Eduardo Coudet, the current River coach, who took over from him.
Ecuador are thus once again betting on an Argentine coach in the run-up to the World Cup in 2030. Sebastián Beccacece led the Tricolor in the last championship, where the team lost to Mexico in the last eight, but at the same time secured a historic victory over Germany in the group stage. Previously, Gustavo Alfaro was also in charge of the South American team during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but then they failed to advance from the group stage.
Although the negotiations are unlikely to be concluded overnight, there are many indications that “El Muñeco” will soon be back in a coaching role after six months on the sidelines. With the 2028 Copa America and World Cup qualification as his main objectives, Gallardo could make his international debut as early as the next FIFA date in September, when Ecuador face South Korea and Japan.
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