{
  "id": 7239485,
  "title": "Ecuador appoint Gallardo as national team head coach",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/ecuador-appoint-gallardo-as-national-team-head-coach-7239485",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-14T03:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/09/14/ecuador-appoint-gallardo-as-national-team-head-coach"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ecuador has appointed Argentine Marcelo Gallardo as the new head coach of the national team, the Ecuadorian Football Federation announced on Sunday. Gallardo replaces Sebastian Beccacece, whose contract was not renewed after Ecuador's loss to Mexico in the World Cup round of 32 in June. The federation expressed optimism, stating that they have talent, structure, and ambition, and that the people have every reason to believe in them. Gallardo, 50, has been out of work since leaving River Plate in February. He previously won two Copa Libertadores titles with River Plate and has also managed Uruguay's Nacional club and Saudi Arabia's Al-Ittihad. Ecuador's next match will be a friendly against South Korea on September 24.",
  "summary": "Marcelo Gallardo succeeds compatriot Sebastian Beccacece, whose contract was not renewed after Ecuador lost to Mexico in the World Cup round of 32 in June.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Ecuador appoint Gallardo as national team head coach",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/ecuador-appoint-gallardo-as-national-team-head-coach",
        "published": "2026-09-14T01:41:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Ecuador appoint Gallardo as national team head coach",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/ecuador-appoint-gallardo-as-national-team-head-coach-7240238",
        "published": "2026-09-14T03:01:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}