ECUADOR owe the rock-solid foundation propping up their World Cup hopes to one pioneering club a few miles from Quito.
Trace the careers of back-to-back winner Willian Pacho, Premier League title holder and £115million back to their roots and it will lead you to the same place.
Willian Pacho has won back-to-back Champions League titles with PSG Credit: Getty
Piero Hincapie is a newly-crowned Premier League champion with Arsenal Credit: Getty
A club that, this time 20 years ago, was made up of amateur part-timers, but today has gained international fame for their mind-boggling wonderkid conveyor belt.
And now top clubs around the world wait cash-in-hand to battle for the next cab off the Independiente del Valle rank.
Miguel Angel Ramirez was at the forefront of the operation while Pacho, Hincapie and Caicedo were cutting their teeth.
The Spaniard, 41, became their academy director in 2018 and took charge of the senior team the following year, leading them to Copa Sudamericana glory.
But even he cannot believe how many of his former players have kicked on to dizzying heights – and are now being tipped to surprise a few at the World Cup.
Ramirez told SunSport: “The number of Independiente del Valle players around the world is insane.
“The one who made me think ‘This guy is amazing’ was Caicedo, 100 per cent. He was the best player in the first team as a teenager, in all terms. Without him we were not able to compete in the same way.
“From Caicedo, Pacho and Hincapie I saw their education at an early age.
Moises Caicedo is under contract at Chelsea until 2033 Credit: Getty
Miguel Angel Ramirez was Independiente del Valle’s academy director before taking their top job Credit: Getty
“Caicedo and Hincapie were the first to make me think they were ready for something big. They are real family guys, they are really well educated.
“How to train, how to rest, how to eat, that was from Independiente.
“It was the perfect mix of family, education, being humble and all the good habits from Independiente to perform on and off the pitch.”
The club was taken over in 2007 by owners with a clear vision to make it the perfect breeding ground for young talent in the region.
Academy stars live, train, study, exercise and receive guidance from nutritionists and psychologists on site.
Groups of trialists at each age group are invited every two weeks, with designated buildings for them to stay in.
And a crack team of scouts has been assembled to identify prime prospects from places other teams are not prepared to search.
Ramirez continued: “I was visiting really small villages in really poor areas where old, humble coaches would go with some balls, meet a group of boys just to play in the afternoon – some of them without proper shoes.
“We would build a relationship even with this type of coach so that every time someone shows up they call Independiente.”
And those youngsters – desperate to live out their dreams – were guided by a strict set of rules to make sure they stayed on track.
Under the watchful eye of Ramirez, Caicedo’s generation was threatened with being booted out of the academy if they overstepped the mark.
And if any player was suspended after a petty red card for fighting or mouthing off, Ramirez would double the ban.
He said: “You know how talented players are – they can do anything and there would be no consequences.
“For the good and the bad, they started to realise that everything they do, they had to pay a price.
“If they didn’t go to school, they couldn’t train with the first team. If they didn’t pass their exams, they couldn’t come to the first team.”
Ramirez left in 2020 and has gone on to coach the likes of Internacional, Zaragova and Malmo.
But the gutsy work of him and his predecessors has left with a base capable of frustrating any World Cup contender.
Hincapie and Pacho are joined in the back-line by star and another much-hyped Independiente graduate, Joel Ordonez.
Throw in Caicedo to buzz around just in front of them and you’ve got an entire mob of defensive action men should make life difficult for , let alone their first two Group E opponents and .
It is no wonder they finished second in South American World Cup qualifying, ahead of and , and with just five goals conceded in 18 games.
Ramirez said: “They are super, super solid defensively.
“They have amazing defenders and a holding midfielder in Caicedo, so they are so difficult to score against. They are super aggressive.
“Maybe they have more problems creating chances and scoring because they miss forward talents, but they are one of the best defensive teams for sure. The numbers tell you that.
“For me they have one of the best defences at the World Cup.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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