Enner Valencia and one of football's most unusual scenes: the ambulance exit to avoid police arrest

A bizarre incident from a 2016 World Cup qualifier between Ecuador and Chile continues to be remembered for its unusual circumstances involving striker Enner Valencia. Shortly before the match's conclusion, with Ecuador leading 3-0, Valencia collapsed on the field and was subsequently taken off in an ambulance, wearing an oxygen mask.

What followed was a scene that quickly went viral: police officers began chasing the ambulance. Reports at the time indicated that Valencia was facing a court order for alleged child support arrears amounting to approximately $17,000. Police had reportedly attempted to arrest him earlier, both during training and upon his arrival at the stadium.

Video footage of the event shows police running behind the ambulance as it left the stadium. Ecuadorian journalist Andrés Muñoz Araneda described the scene as unprecedented, with the entire stadium's attention shifting from the match to the unfolding drama. The unusual sequence of events fueled speculation that Valencia had feigned the injury to escape immediate detention.

While the narrative of Valencia faking an injury to evade police became widespread, his representative later stated that the arrest order had been revoked by the judge. Nevertheless, the incident remains one of the most talked-about and peculiar moments in recent South American World Cup qualifying history.

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I have never seen anything like it.