This article is part of the Guardian’s World Cup 2014 Experts’ Network, a co-operation between 32 of the best media organisations from the countries who have qualified for the finals in Brazil. theguardian.com is running previews from four countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 12 June.
Fidel Martínez currently plays for the Xolos Tijuana club in Mexico but the 24-year-old began his career in his native province of Sucumbios, which is also the home province of Antonio Valencia. Martínez was first called up to the under-20 team at the Pan American Games and his performances brought him to the attention of the Brazilian club Cruzeiro, who took him to Brazil in 2007. However, he did not make the grade there and returned home to play for Deportivo Quito where he became the top scorer and star. His hairstyle means Maríinez is known as the ‘Ecuadorian Neymar’ and he likes to dye his hair different colours and in some striking ways. Another curious things about this player is his goal celebrations expect some hip-hop moves, maybe even a rap, and he once got a computer on to the field to celebrate. He is one of the favourite players of the fans, perhaps because in his holidays he never fails to come to Ecuador and buy thousands of toys to give to children in his home province.
Enner Valencia
The player for the Mexican club Pachuca had to overcome many difficulties to get there. Before his breakthrough as a professional footballer with Emelec in Ecuador, Valencia had trouble even getting a pair of boots. As a child, he milked cows and went with his family to sell the milk. Eventually he raised enough money to buy his first football boots . Now the striker is first choice for club and country and receives so many pairs of boots he does not know what to do with them.
Jefferson Montero
The Morelia (Mexico) player had very humble beginnings. He was known as ‘Yepe’ by the family growing up in Babahoyo in the Los Ríos province because he could not pronounce his name. His mother, Mercedes Vite, had little money and used to wash clothes in her neighbourhood to get by, while his father, Antonio, had to get loans from the farm where he worked. Montero started saving money in a piggy bank, until his family finally moved to another city, and it was there he came to the attention of Emelec, one of the leading clubs in Ecuador.
Christian Noboa
The 29-year-old currently plays for Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Premier League, but his playing career began at the Emelec club in Ecuador. At first Noboa had no opportunities and watched from the bench most games, and he even came close to leaving the club to go play in Serie B in Italy. However, it only took one opportunity to play from the start and he soon earned the trust of the management. By December 2006 he was called up to the Ecuadorian national team for a friendly match in Russia. Just days before that Noboa had received a call from the coach of Rubin Kazan, who said he was in Ecuador with the intention of buying Christian Benítez, but that everything changed when he saw Noboa play. So he set up a meeting in Russia and when he arrived for the friendly game, a Russian lady accompanied him to a meeting. Noboa recalls he was a little scared at the time, but a representative of Rubin presented a contract and he did not hesitate to accept and sign. Just three days later, Noboa was in Russia ready for spring training. After several years at Rubin, he was transferred to Dinamo Moscow where he has become one of the most important players. Noboa believes he owes his long career in Russia to the fact that his wife is Russian, and they now have two children together. It is, he remembers, a far cry from the first dayhe stepped on Russian soil, when he played on and ate some snow, and was then sick with the flu for a week.
Mayra Bayas writes for the football website Ecuagol