What a joy watching Ecuador & Hove Albion

Hands up, who wants to hear Ecuador by Sash! blasted out at the Amex when Brighton return home for the second half of the Premier League season?

First things first, it is a quality tune in its own right as one of the biggest dance songs of the 90. Secondly, it soundtracked the best dance of Strictly Come Dancing 2022 so far when Hamza Yassin and the lovely Jowita performed a stunning samba full of lifts, spins and party vibes.

The main reason to want, no demand, a bit of Sash! at the Amex however is in recognition of the growing influence Ecuador is having on the Albion – and vice versa – through Moises Caicedo, Pervis Estupinan and Jeremy Sarmiento.

Even before Qatar 2022, these three fearless young men were helping to forge a bond between Brighton and Ecuador.

The Albion might have been a Premier League club for six seasons, but seeing Seagulls players representing their countries in international football still feels weird.

To have eight representatives at a single World Cup is stranger still. With three hailing from the same nation, it is no wonder than many Brighton fans have adopted Ecuador as their second international team after England.

Some have even gone so far as to choose La Tri over the Three Lions, citing Gareth Southgate’s continuous overlooking of Lewis Dunk. England don’t value Brighton players, so why not support a nation who do?

And that support is being reciprocated across Ecuador. Manchester United remain the most popular Premier League team, not just on account of their historic success but also because Antonio Valencia blazed a trail for Ecuador with his achievements in a decade at the Theatre of Dreams.

Brighton though are fast becoming the second-most supported English club. “Lots of people wear the Brighton shirt,” Caicedo said in an interview with The Guardian. Sarmeinto added: “The time difference is crazy but people back home get up at 5am, 6am to watch our games and it means a lot.”

Not just at home. There has been a contingent of Ecuadorians at almost every Amex game so far this season, supporting both their compatriots and the Albion.

Most famous of all is Roland Collante, whose videos are fast becoming a must-watch accompaniment in the aftermath of every Albion game.

A vlogger from Ecuador producing top tier content because three football stars from his country play in the Premier League for Brighton. It is a far cry from when German pornstar Dirk Lehmann was the Albion’s best foreign import.

Roland was in Qatar cheering on Ecuador. 4188 miles away in Sussex, so too were Seagulls fans. There was immense pride back in Brighton when Caicedo, Estupinan and Sarmiento gave the hosts a bloody nose in the opening game, showing that Qatar could bribe their way to holding the tournament but no amount of money could help them sportswash on the pitch.

Exhilarating, enthralling football from Ecuador had the Dutch worried in their second World Cup game. Estupinan was the best player on the pitch. He had a goal controversially disallowed before going onto set up his nation’s equaliser.

Brighton have only really scratched the surface of what Estupinan is capable of in his four months at the Albion so far.

Once he settles in at the Amex and gets a good run of games under his belt, Estupinan has the potential to be one of the most exciting players in a Roberto De Zerbi setup where flying full backs are made to thrive.

In game number three against Senegal, Caicedo wrote himself into the history books as the first ever Albion player to score at a World Cup finals.

The goal was celebrated almost as wildly in Brighton & Hove as it was by Ecuador fans at the Khalifa International Stadium or back in the historic centre of the capital city Quito.

Estupinan, Caicedo and Sarmiento with his lively cameos from the bench deserved more games at the World Cup to showcase their talents. Alas, it was not to be and a 2-1 victory for Senegal saw the African champions progress behind Group A winners the Netherlands.

For those of us newly converted Ecuador supporters living in England, Senegal going through to a second round meeting with Southgate’s side at least saved us split allegiances in a La Tri against Three Lions clash.

Caicedo slumped to the ground upon the final whistle following defeat to Senegal. He was distraught, eventually helped back to his feet by his teammates.

It was tough to watch. But once the hurt that Caicedo, Estupinan and Sarmiento will be feeling has disappeared, then all three can reflect with pride on how they represented both Ecuador and the Albion in Qatar.

Their time will come again. Ecuador were one of the youngest sides at the World Cup. They have a group of players with the potential to improve into a leading South American side over the next four years with ability to frighten the rest of the planet ahead of the 2026 tournament held across the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Estupinan is 24. Caicedo 21. Sarmiento 20. All three will be better players by 2026 and ready to once again carry the hopes of their nation.

Whether they will be Brighton players by then is doubtful. Caicedo seems destined for bigger and better things, as interest from Real Madrid is testament to.

If Marc Cucurella is a £62 million left back, then who knows how much Estupinan will be worth in 18 months time?

Sarmiento carved through Arsenal at will in his first Albion start against Premier League opponents at Arsenal in the League Cup. His ability levels are scary presuming he can remain injury free for an extended period.

Whatever happens to Caicedo, Estupinan and Sarmiento and wherever they may or may not end up, the bond between Brighton and Ecuador seems unlikely to break.

With their performances in Qatar, La Tri’s Albion trio have helped put Brighton on the map. The Albion meanwhile are giving three of Ecuador’s best players to chance to play, learn and grow in the Premier League.

Any success Brighton have in the near-future seems certain to have Ecuador at its heart. Any success Ecuador have on the international stage will have been partly forged at the Amex.

And if that is not reason enough to treat us to some Sash! at the Amex, what is? Vamos Ecuador!