{
  "id": 8057576,
  "title": "River Plate legend Marcelo Gallardo to take over as Ecuador coach",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/river-plate-legend-marcelo-gallardo-to-take-over-as-ecuador-coach",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-17T15:57:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Buenos Aires Herald",
    "slug": "buenos-aires-herald",
    "url": "https://buenosairesherald.com/sports/football/river-plate-legend-marcelo-gallardo-to-take-over-as-ecuador-coach"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Marcelo Gallardo, a legend at River Plate with two Copa Libertadores victories, will assume the head coach role for Ecuador's national football team. The 50-year-old Argentine is signing a four-year contract through December 2030, aiming to compete in the 2028 Copa America and 2030 World Cup. Gallardo expressed excitement about the challenge upon arriving in Ecuador, vowing to represent the nation well. This marks a new era for Ecuador's national team, which has struggled under previous Argentine coaching, including Sebastián Beccacece's tenure during the 2026 World Cup. Gallardo, known affectionately as \"El Muñeco,\" will make his debut with a series of friendly matches against South Korea, Japan, and either Panama or New Zealand. He will have a roster of high-caliber players, including Moisés Caicedo, Willian Pacho, and John Yeboah, all playing in Europe's top leagues. Gallardo's return to coaching follows a disappointing stint as River Plate's manager in 2024-2026, during which he left the club amid a three-game losing streak.",
  "summary": "The two-time Copa Libertadores winner said he feels ‘excited about this challenge' La entrada River Plate legend Marcelo Gallardo to take over as Ecuador coach se publicó primero en Buenos Aires Herald .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}