Whenever the on-field action poses no immediate threat on his goal, Hernan Galindez takes a moment to pick out his family in the stands or exchange a few words with a member of the ball crew. To regain focus, he then repeats a familiar routine, looking at the scoreboard, checking the time and saying the date, city, country and name of the opposition out loud.
He devised this mental exercise with his psychologist to relieve tension and remain fully present.
At this stage of his career, the 39-year-old goalkeeper is prioritising living in the moment and savouring it to its fullest. One of La Tri coach Sebastian Beccacece's most trusted leaders, the veteran custodian is set to do exactly that when he graces his second FIFA World Cup™.
Galindez, who now plies his trade for Argentinian outfit Huracan, acknowledges that Ecuador's current crop, featuring top internationals such as Moises Caicedo, Piero Hincapie and Willian Pacho, are heading to this year's global showpiece with far greater experience than at . Many of them represented their country four years ago and they also navigated their way through the South American qualifiers together, finishing runners-up in the overall standings, having conceded only five goals in 18 matches.
The ball-playing keeper, who was born in Argentina and became an Ecuadorian citizen in 2019, sat down with FIFA to talk about his country's progress and his hopes for the tournament. He also reminisced about his childhood in Rosario, where he came up against none other than on more than one occasion.
Hernan Galindez: [Smiles] I've had a miraculous career. When I moved to Ecuador [after being relegated with Rosario Central and dealing with a period of depression], all I wanted was to keep playing football. I wasn't thinking about doing anything else. Then, all of this happened. It's incredible. That's why Enner Valencia and I talk so much about making the most of it, because this really is going to be our last World Cup.
We all went into that tournament in Qatar lacking a bit in experience and not knowing what it was all about. We're no longer World Cup rookies. I'm much more mature, and I've done a lot of work on my mental strength. I believe I'm a better goalkeeper, too. Now I just have to go out and prove it.
There's no such thing as an easy game at the World Cup. We know that are a very physical side. Most of their players play in the top flight of French or English football. They're such tough opposition. As for , the big thing with them is that they’re lining up at their first World Cup, carrying the dreams of an entire nation on their shoulders. That'll be another very difficult match. And need no introduction. We have to just try to take one game at a time, remember that three points are on the line in every match and avoid getting caught up thinking about the various permutations. I believe we can give anyone a run for their money. We've already shown that.
First and foremost, the commitment we show out of possession. For us, our strikers are our first line of defence. We're the sort of side that have to press high up to try to regain possession as far from our goal as possible. That means that, with the odd exception, the opposition don't create many chances against us. That's testament to how we press as a team. We also have some top-level defenders, including Piero Hincapie, Willian Pacho, Pervis Estupinan, Joel Ordonez, Angelo Preciado, Felix Torres, to name but a few.
We've known one another for four, five or even six years in some cases. When you spend so much time together, you get to know people almost inside out. You learn about each other's dreams, what your team-mates' children are called, who their wives are. That's an added bonus. I'm a little older than the others, who've all known one another since they were playing at youth level. They're a group of friends who happen to play together for their country. We also have a golden rule: nobody is allowed to sulk. We understand that it's not about individual playing time, but about ensuring that Ecuador do well.
The role of the goalkeeper has changed far more than any other. If you were to drop a goalkeeper who was playing back in 2005 into the modern game, they would no longer be able to cut it. In the past, it used to be perfectly normal for defenders to come into the six-yard box to take a goal kick. Nowadays, you can't play in goal if you're not comfortable with the ball at your feet. Something that has really struck me from watching the English top flight is that, on in-swinging corners, you'll often see four or five players standing right on the keeper's toes, and the officials just let it go. Back in the day, if a goalkeeper came out with their knee raised, you knew the referee wasn't going to give a foul.
As a kid, I was obsessed with jumping high and being agile. A goalkeeping coach I had the privilege of having as a kid, Martin Tocalli, who now works with the Argentinian national team, told me, "One day, you'll lose your speed and strength, but your technique and positioning will never desert you. If you can hone those skills, you'll be able to extend your career between the posts." He wasn't wrong.
I started out at Alianza Sport, a club in Rosario that was a stone's throw away from my house. The first year I played in goal, I must have been about six years old. We were champions, and I only conceded once in the entire competition. That goal was scored by Leo. He dribbled past five of my team-mates and then beat me, with the ball glued to his feet. I remember watching him go by, slotting the ball into the net and then jogging away as if nothing had happened, without celebrating or making anything of it. And then, years later, I've found myself facing him as an adult. It's funny how life comes full circle.
I think we'll be competitive. We want to continue down this path and to keep showing how much we've grown as a team and as a group. We don't see ourselves as better or worse than anyone else. We understand that every match comes with its risks but that we're capable of winning every time we take to the pitch. No team are invincible, but there are no pushovers either. We have great belief in ourselves.
Sources: FIFA Official
