Ecuador has parted ways with coach Felix Sanchez following their exit from the 2024 Copa America.
The decision was confirmed following their defeat against Argentina in the quarter-final of the United States tournament.
Ecuador were beaten 4-2 on penalties against reigning champions Argentina after a 1-1 draw in normal time.
The Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) announced in a statement that they have terminated “the contractual relationship” with Sanchez and dismissed his coaching staff.
The FEF expressed gratitude to Sanchez and his team “for their work and professionalism” and wished them “success in their future projects”.
Sanchez, 48, was appointed to lead Ecuador on a four-year contract in March 2023.
The Spaniard previously managed Qatar for five years between 2017 and 2022, winning the 2019 AFC Asian Cup and leading the team at the 2022 World Cup. However, his contract was not renewed after Qatar lost all their Group A matches in the tournament on home soil.
Sanchez has been relieved of his duties despite sitting above Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia and Peru in the 2026 World Cup CONMEBOL qualification standings.
During his tenure, Sanchez won 10 of his 19 games in charge of Ecuador.
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Does this come as a surprise?
Analysis by Jack Lang
It is hard not to feel for Sanchez here. Looking past Copa America for a second, Ecuador sit fifth in the South American World Cup qualifying, above Brazil. That’s despite starting the campaign on minus three points for a rules violation in the previous cycle. La Tri beat a tricky Uruguay at home and pushed Argentina all the way in a 1-0 defeat in Buenos Aires, a performance that earned Sanchez praise.
The feeling a few weeks ago was that Ecuador were really building towards something under him, after he took charge in March 2023. He brought the 17-year-old Kendry Paez into the side last year — a popular move — and had begun to renovate other areas of the team, putting faith in younger players like Jeremy Sarmiento, Willian Pacho and John Yeboah.
Even if performances at the Copa America did not quite live up to pre-tournament expectations — they only really clicked in the 3-1 win against Jamaica — Sanchez must surely have thought he had enough credit in the bank to survive the penalty shootout defeat to Argentina, especially after such a brave second-half display.
(Juan Mabromata/AFP via Getty Images)
