ECUADOR COACH:
Luis Fernando Suarez

Ecuador must have a thing for Colombian national coaches, having used three through the years. Most recently, in 2002, Colombian Hernan Dario Gomez guided the team into its first cup. This time around it's another Colombian, Luis Fernando Suarez, 46, who took over the coaching reins over the 2004 Copa America debacle. He rebuilt the team, bringing in new players and getting rid of several older players (midfielder Alex Aguinaga and his 109 caps retired on his own volition the year prior). Suarez, who had been coaching the Ecudorean First Division club Aucas de Quito when he was tapped for the national post, won the Libertadores Cup as a player with Atletico Nacional (Colombia) in 1989.