Ecuador president declares national holiday after team reach World Cup knockout phase

Ecuador president declares national holiday after team reach World Cup knockout phase June 26 : Ecuador President Daniel Noboa declared Friday a national holiday after the country's soccer team reached the knockout phase of the World Cup with a shock 2-1 win over Germany. "Thanks to the players and the coach who, despite the criticism, the insults, and the tough moments they went through, managed to recover and give this immense joy to the entire country. Tomorrow, a holiday!" Noboa said in a post on X. Ecuador needed victory in their final Group E match on Thursday following a defeat by Ivory Coast and a draw with Curacao. The South American side conceded early against the Germans but fought back to secure the win, sparking celebrations among fans at a sold-out New York/New Jersey stadium. Germany had already been assured of qualification as group winners. Ivory Coast finished second after their 2-0 win over Curacao. Ecuador qualified as one of the best eight third-placed teams, reaching the World Cup knockout stages for only the second time. They advanced to the round of 16 at the 2006 tournament in Germany.