Ecuador national football team is gearing up for the upcoming World Cup and aims to make a strong impression. The team's next match will be against Costa de Marfil on June 14th. According to Pedro Larrea Arellano, a Loja-based footballer, the team's chances of reaching the quarterfinals are uncertain. "The players are having a great moment, even playing outside the country like William Joel Pacho and Moisés Caicedo, and that gives us a good perspective that they will do well in the World Cup, besides being a tough rival in the matches", he added. Larrea considers that the team's responsibility is not to reach the final, but to represent and play good games, and if they do well, it's because of their will to leave their country's name high. On the other hand, Juan Zuñiga, a sports journalist, told Crónica that a good World Cup for Ecuador would be to pass the group stage and reach the quarterfinals. He recalled that, unlike previous editions, with 48 teams participating, after the groups, there will not be a direct quarterfinal, but a round of 16 as the first round for the combined teams. "Personally, the team is having a great moment and has all the possibilities of passing the group stage and reaching the top eight. I know I'm asking for a lot, but reaching the quarterfinals would be a good tournament for all that the team is living, especially after starting the eliminatories with 3 points less and qualifying among the two best", he said. Ecuador will play on June 14th, 20th, and 25th.