Estupinan is an established contributor on the left flank of his country's defense and will operate as one of the squad's main creative assets in the World Cup.
Analysis:
Estupinan remains Ecuador's first-choice left-back and one of the team's most important players in possession. The defender brings experience from multiple top European leagues following his spells with Villarreal, Brighton and AC Milan, giving him a level of pedigree few players in the squad can match. His most recent club season was somewhat inconsistent due to injuries and competition from Davide Bartesaghi, but those factors shouldn't affect his standing with the national team. Ecuador regularly relies on him for both attacking and defensive duties on the left flank, making him a valuable two-way contributor. During the World Cup qualifying stage, he featured in 13 games, failing to score or assist but delivering a team-high average of 1.5 chances created per game.
