Ecuador declare bank holiday after stunning comeback win over Germany at World Cup 2026

Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa declared a national bank holiday on Friday after La Tricolor produced one of the tournament’s biggest upsets, coming from a goal down to beat Germany 2-1 at MetLife Stadium on Thursday and advance to the last 32 of World Cup 2026.

Noboa, who watched from the stands as his country overcame the four-time world champions, announced the holiday on social media shortly after the final whistle. “Thank you to the players and the manager who, despite the criticism, the insults and the tough times they went through, managed to bounce back and bring this immense joy to the whole country,” he wrote in a statement posted to his official X account.

The result looked in serious doubt when Leroy Sané put Germany ahead inside two minutes, but Ecuador refused to fold. Sunderland winger Nilson Angulo levelled with a curling effort from the edge of the box past Manuel Neuer, before Gonzalo Plata completed the comeback in the 77th minute to seal a famous victory.

Noboa also praised head coach Sebastián Beccacece, who had faced considerable scrutiny in the lead-up to the tournament. “You never give up on the team, especially not this one,” the president wrote in a separate post on his Meta and Instagram pages.

Germany still topped Group G ahead of the Ivory Coast on goal difference, while Ecuador finished third on four points. The South Americans were still awaiting confirmation of their last-32 opponent as the final group-stage results came in.

The result carries significant historical weight for Ecuadorian football. La Tricolor have appeared at five of the last seven World Cups since their debut in 2002, but this is only the second time they have reached the knockout stages. Their path was aided by the expanded 48-team format introduced for the 2026 edition, though the win over Germany — secured on merit against one of the competition’s heavyweights — will stand as a landmark moment regardless of context.