World Cup: Ecuador Must Press on After Death of Star Striker

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Ecuador's Christian Benitez, left, celebrates after scoring against El Salvador in an international friendly soccer match in Quito, Ecuador, Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Image: Dolores Ochoa/Associated Press

By Sam Laird2014-04-17 12:19:46 UTC

Many of the teams at this summer's World Cup will pin their hopes to their respective star strikers, soccer's offensive aggressors who are charged with scoring goals and keeping opponents on their heels. For England, that's Wayne Rooney. The Netherlands looks to Robin van Persie and Argentina to a stable of scorers led by the transcendent Lionel Messi. Country by country, the list goes on.

But Ecuador — tasked with navigating a group that includes France, Switzerland and Honduras — will be without its own star striker when the World Cup kicks off on June 12 in Brazil. Christian Benitez scored four goals for Ecuador during its 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign. Overall, he donned La Tri's blue, yellow and red jersey 58 times for international matches, finding the net 24 times.

Then on July 29, 2013 — one day after playing his first match as a well-compensated signee of Qatari club El Jaish — Benitez died at age 27. Benitez reportedly entered a hospital shortly after making his debut for El Jaish, complaining of abdominal pain. Hours later, his heart stopped beating and Benitez was pronounced dead of cardiac arrest.

Now his Ecuadorean teammates are left to press on this summer without one of their leaders and most important players. It's a story of loss, inspiration and — hopefully — honoring a fallen comrade with a strong showing on sports' biggest stage.

An 'irreplaceable' loss

Ecuador Benitez Death

The coffin containing the remains of Ecuador's striker Christian Benitez is carried out of the Ruminahui Coliseum, to be taken to the Monte Olivo cemetery for burial at a private ceremony, in Quito, Ecuador, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2013.

Image: Dolores Ochoa/Associated Press

This is the Boston Celtics without Len Bias, the Allman Brothers Band without Duane — moving on isn't quite impossible, but things just aren't the same either.

Benitez was more than just a star for Ecuador. He carried on a legacy, too. His father, Ermen Benitez, played for Ecuador in the 80s and remains its domestic league's top all-time goal-scorer, according to CNN. Christian went on to make his professional bones with Quito's El Nacional, the same club for which Ermen starred years before. He later married the daughter of another former Ecuador star, further intertwining himself with the country's soccer history.

Professionally, Benitez played in Ecuador, England and Mexico before signing with El Jarish in summer 2013. English side Birmingham City, where Benitez played for a year but found only middling success, posted this tribute video after the death of Benitez, who played in a jersey featuring his nickname, "Chucho":

Benitez's death after his first match with the Qatari club raised questions for some about playing soccer in the Middle Eastern country's extreme heat. Qatar unexpectedly won hosting rights for the 2022 World Cup after a vote that many suspect was corrupted by bribery. Many say the World Cup should not take place in a country with such extreme heat, as temperatures in Qatar regularly soar well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

British officials last month called on FIFA — world soccer's governing body — to strip Qatar of its hosting privileges if bribery allegations prove true. If the 2022 World Cup is in fact played in Qatar, it would likely be held during the winter, which many see as a form of World Cup sacrilege.

Despite initial speculation, however, Benitez was found to have died of unrelated causes. Ecuadorean soccer federation president Luis Chiriboga said in the days following Benitez's death that the player developed peritonitis before dying of cardiac arrest.

Ecuador went on to win three of its four remaining 2014 World Cup qualifiers after Benitez's death, and coach Reinaldo Rueda dedicated the successful campaign to the fallen striker's memory.

"A player of Cristian's characteristics, both for his human qualities and footballing skills is practically irreplaceable," Rueda said in January.

Tributes and prospects

BenitezEcuador

Germany's Heiko Westermann (5) fights for the ball with Ecuador's Christian Benitez, right, in the second half during an international friendly soccer match in Boca Raton, Fla., Wednesday, May 29, 2013.

Image: Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

Tributes poured in for Benitez from around Ecuador and the soccer world at large following his unexpected death. But perhaps none have been more powerful or heartfelt than those from Antonio Valencia, another Ecuador star who plays professionally for Manchester United.

Valencia's Twitter profile continues to regularly feature posts lamenting the loss of Benitez or commemorating his memory. His profile avatar still features this photo showing the two together during an Ecuador match, alongside words that translate to "I remember that together we passed many hard moments":

ChuchoValencia

In August, Ecuador's soccer federation announced plans to retire Benitez's number 11 jersey, but FIFA later said the number must be used during the World Cup.

So, regardless of who does or doesn't wear Benitez's old number, do his teammates have a chance in Brazil without him? A nation of 15 million, Ecuador is far from being thought of as a soccer power. Then again, its group is not among the World Cup's toughest, and Rueda says he's gunning for a run beyond the group stage. So nothing is out of the question.

But even the deepest run for La Tri this summer will be bittersweet without Benitez.