Ecuador President Declares Holiday After Football Team's World Cup Success

Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa has declared a public holiday in honor of the national football team's achievement at the World Cup. The decision came after Ecuador beat Germany 2-1 on Thursday, securing their spot in the knockout phase.

In the group stage, Ecuador lost 0-1 to Ivory Coast in their opening match and drew 0-0 with tournament debutants Curaçao. However, the victory over Germany was enough to finish second in the group and advance to the round of 16.

Currently, Ecuador is ranked 24th in the FIFA rankings, while Germany is 12th. Ivory Coast is 30th, and Curaçao is 82nd. This is Ecuador's fifth World Cup appearance (2002, 2006, 2014, 2022, 2026), and only the second time they have progressed past the group stage. The first time was in 2006, when they lost 0-1 to England in the round of 16 and finished 12th.

"Thank you to the players and coach who, despite criticism, insults and difficult moments, were able to recover and give this immense joy to the whole country. Tomorrow is a holiday!" President Noboa said.

The holiday is intended to allow citizens to celebrate the team's remarkable achievement together.