"It is the biggest victory for Ecuador..." Sebastián Beccacece Hails Ecuador's Historic Germany Victory

Ecuador head coach Sebastián Beccacece hailed his side's dramatic 2-1 victory over Germany as the biggest World Cup triumph in the country's history while urging his players and supporters to remain humble despite one of the tournament's greatest upsets.

Having entered the final Group E fixture with just one point from two matches, Ecuador recovered from conceding inside two minutes to stun the four-time world champions at MetLife Stadium.

Goals from Nilson Angulo and Gonzalo Plata completed a remarkable turnaround that secured a place in the Round of 32 and marked only Ecuador's second appearance in the World Cup knockout rounds.

Speaking after beating Germany, an emotional Beccacece said the achievement belonged to the entire nation.

"The entire country is celebrating. It is the biggest victory for Ecuador in a World Cup. We worked for that; we came with the dream of making Ecuador's best World Cup ever, and now we did."

The Argentine coach, who celebrated wildly with his players before embracing his family in the stands, had faced mounting criticism after Ecuador's frustrating goalless draw with Curaçao. Yet he insisted neither the criticism nor Wednesday's historic result should alter the team's perspective.

He reinforced that message in his post-match press conference.

"Football is like that: one day you win, the other day you lose. The important thing is the balance. I never underestimated Curacao, nor do I feel any less than Germany. The media had underestimated Curacao and, conversely, regarded us as inferior to Germany.

Maybe the takeaway is finding a balance. In football, you win on the field, no matter who’s in front of you. That’s what it is. We will keep going, with humility, with prudence."

"We never feel like we are in hell, nor do we feel like we are in heaven. We have our feet grounded on earth and we feel and think in the right manner."

Beccacece admitted Ecuador's World Cup campaign could easily have unfolded very differently after a late defeat to Ivory Coast and their stalemate against Curaçao.

"We conceded a late goal to the Ivory Coast in questionable circumstances and couldn't score against Curaçao. It could have been the worst World Cup with two defeats and one draw. But we knew we could manage to go through. We invited everyone to keep united, as unity leads to good things. What an achievement against the football powerhouse."

The Ecuador boss praised the resilience shown after Germany's controversial early opener, believing his players refused to let disappointment derail their belief.

"Today something big happened; we beat a powerhouse in a historic match, who led 1-0 just two minutes in, in my opinion, from a questionable play. But that's stuff we can't control. If we'd just sulked and got stuck there, we wouldn't have come back.

The team showed again that even though they started losing unfairly, they turned it around. That’s the point. The point is to encourage us to have faith and trust. There’s hard work, dedication, and a loving group that gives it their all.

Today, we beat a team that's won the World Cup four times. We did better than the last World Cup, since last time we got knocked out early. So, I'm saying, let's keep moving forward, keep believing, but with humility and caution."

Beccacece also urged supporters to continue trusting a squad he believes is built on unity rather than individual status.

"All I asked for was patience. The players are working hard and, if God wills it and the players do well, we can qualify. That's what we came for and what keeps our dream alive. That's why I'm calling for unity, for commitment, and for everyone to really come together."

He highlighted the dressing-room atmosphere by revealing captain Enner Valencia voluntarily handed the armband to Moisés Caicedo before kick-off.

"Today Moy was captain, which was an amazing gesture from Enner. The captain's armband was given to him during a chat we had this morning, and that shows the beauty we have as a group and the strong bond of unity and respect. It’s like a dad handing the armband to his son and saying, "Now go on; you’re ready. I’ve done my part." That’s the legacy. Enner Valencia is the living legacy of Ecuador, with all the games he’s played, how he gives it his all, and how he fights. He brought so much joy to Ecuador, scoring over 49 goals; I don’t even know in how many matches."

The 45-year-old said moments like that define his squad far more than individual reputations.

"That’s why I’m sharing this story with a lot of emotion, because my players really move me every day through how they get along, how they share, and how they connect in a world full of ego, where people care about who wears the captain's armband, who’s worth more or less, and where they play. None of that happens here. These are family values, which I believe in."

Looking ahead to the knockout rounds, Beccacece believes Ecuador have earned the right to fear nobody, while stressing confidence must never replace humility.

"Our goal was to empower this group to not feel less than anyone or better than anyone but to feel like they can compete with anyone. We're working toward that, but there's no need to be overconfident. I like the team to believe in themselves, but even with belief, there has to be humility, transparency and integrity."

For a manager who admitted before the match he expected to leave his post if Ecuador failed to qualify, Wednesday's unforgettable victory has instead become the defining moment of his tenure and one of the greatest nights in Ecuadorian football history.