Ecuador have dismissed head coach Felix Sanchez following their 4-2 penalty shoot-out loss to Argentina in the Copa America quarter-finals.
Kevin Rodriguez’s stoppage-time equalizer countered Lisandro Martinez’s first-half goal, but Emiliano Martinez emerged as the hero for Argentina.
Despite Lionel Messi missing the first penalty, the Argentine goalkeeper saved two of Ecuador’s, sealing La Tricolor’s exit from the tournament.
After the defeat, Sanchez emphasized the team’s accomplishments during the tournament.
“We managed to advance from the group stage to the knockouts,” Sanchez commented. “I have congratulated the players even if we weren’t able to progress. I think they deserve the credit, that is my opinion, but I think that in the next edition of this tournament, we’ll get here with a more experienced team.”
Sanchez acknowledged the youthfulness of his squad, noting, “These are very young players. Maybe the results were unfair, but I know that we have to believe in this group of players.”
Sanchez, who assumed the role in 2023 with a four-year contract after leading Qatar to their first Asian Cup title in 2019, has been removed from his position despite an impressive start in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Ecuador is currently fifth, ahead of traditional powerhouses such as Brazil, Chile, and Peru.
In their statement, Ecuador’s Football Federation expressed gratitude, “We thank Felix and his coaching staff for their work and professionalism and wish him success in his future endeavours.”