Marcelo Gallardo and Ecuador Take Another Step Toward a Deal

Marcelo Gallardo is one step closer to taking charge of Ecuador, but the deal is not done. Gallardo met Francisco Egas, president of the Ecuadorian Football Federation, in Madrid for more than two hours as negotiations continued over the Argentine coach becoming the new manager of the national team.

The talks focused exclusively on sporting matters, according to journalist César Luis Merlo. The two sides reportedly found “many points of agreement,” bringing Gallardo closer to the Ecuador bench. They planned another meeting in Madrid on Wednesday to try to settle the sporting side of the arrangement.

Money was not discussed at the meeting. The financial terms were expected to be addressed on Thursday, leaving that issue still open before any final agreement can be reached.

The federation wants Gallardo to coach Ecuador at the 2028 Copa América and during qualifying for the 2030 World Cup. That tournament will be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with three opening matches scheduled in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.

If Gallardo is hired, his projected debut would come on September 24 against South Korea at Big Bird Stadium in Suwon. Ecuador would then face Japan in the Kirin Cup on October 1 at Yokohama’s International Stadium, followed by a match for either third place or the title in Tokyo on October 5 against Panama or New Zealand. Gallardo’s long list of titles as a player and coach includes the Copa Libertadores with River Plate in 1996 as a player and in 2015 and 2018 as a coach.

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many points of agreement