Antonio Valencia, firm in his protest against the increase in quotas for foreigners in the LigaPro

Antonio Valencia, the best Ecuadorian soccer player of the last 20 years, once again raises his voice in protest against the increase in quotas for foreigners, which the clubs of the LigaPro series A and B approved starting this season in the championship national.

Council of Presidents of LigaPro approves the registration of 8 foreigners per team for the 2023 season

Valencia published on his social network account Twitter who wants to see local soccer players united as the foreign elements of Independiente del Valle, which this year aims to be the protagonist in the LigaPro, the Copa Libertadores and the Ecuador Cup.

Alexander Alvarado: I do not agree with the increase in quotas for foreigners

“I would like there to be eight Ecuadorian soccer players together. Thank you, Argentine boys, for teaching us that unity is strength”, was the comment of Tone next to the photograph in his post.

On December 21, the Council of Presidents of the LigaPro, made up of representatives of the 16 clubs of the A series and 10 of the B, approved the increase in registration quotas for foreigners from six to eight, with 18 votes.

Miguel Ángel Loor: ‘Do I become a dictator? I like to receive sticks, but I did not decide to increase the quota to eight foreigners’

Clubs like El Nacional, Orense and Universidad Católica, from A; and América de Quito and Manta FC, from B, were against the increase in places to register players of other nationalities.

This decision provoked criticism from several players. Valencia, who dazzled for a season at Manchester United in England (2009-2019), commented in those days: “Do you know how many (national players) are closing the doors with their resolution? I believe that Mr. Miguel Ángel Loor (president of the LigaPro) should put himself in the shoes of the Ecuadorian soccer player. You can’t think like that, so lightly.”

In his defense, Loor stated: “Why do they say that jobs are being taken away (from national soccer players)? This (hiring eight outsiders per team) is optional; it’s not mandatory. Besides, I think that none have reached their eight places in this transfer market (…). It doesn’t affect boys. Let’s not kill standards without testing them.”

“It is normal. The reasons (of the complaints) are understood. Sometimes I don’t disagree. I like to receive the sticks when I deserve them, but not for everything. If the clubs decide the fate, they win. This is not that Miguel Ángel Loor wanted it that way. The clubs decided their rules; there will be no changes. They see how they want to compete,” he added.

And Carlos Tenorio, president of the Association of Soccer Players of Ecuador (AFE), said: “Around the corner they stab the players like this. There you see hypocrisy, falsehood. Ecuadorian soccer has not improved since the LigaPro arrived. What improvement are we talking about?

“Before the LigaPro (the National Team) arrived, they took a step by reaching the round of 16 (of the 2006 World Cup). And how come the LigaPro arrived and we didn’t even get past the first round? What improvement are we talking about?” Tenorio concluded. (D)