Beccacece's emotional farewell: "It hurts"

An era has come to an end in Ecuador. After the national team's 2-0 loss to hosts Mexico and elimination in the World Cup Round of 32, coach Sebastián Beccacece announced that he is stepping down. The Argentine confirmed his departure right after the match at the Estadio Azteca.

As he announced his decision to leave, Beccacece stated that his contract ended with the World Cup. Saying they had not achieved the goal they had promised — making the tournament the "best World Cup ever" — the manager said it was now time to say goodbye. Beccacece, who said he very much wanted to continue and that what he received from the players and management would have allowed it, expressed that he understands how these things work, that the decision was clear, and that it saddened him.

Asked about the legacy he leaves behind, Beccacece directed the praise to the players. Emphasizing that the real owners of this success are the players who made up Ecuador's youngest squad, the manager said he had no complaints and felt only gratitude to the people and the players. It was also recalled that Ecuador produced a performance that drew attention at the tournament, including an earlier win over Germany.

With this departure, the Ecuadorian Football Federation is expected to turn to a search for a new head coach. The path Ecuador — who stood out with a young squad during the Beccacece era — follows from here will be one of the closely followed storylines in South American football. The experienced manager's next destination will keep its place on the football agenda.

Image: Yahoo Sports