Ecuador Stuns Germany 2-1 to Reach World Cup Knockouts

Ecuador pulled off one of the early shocks of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, rallying to a 2-1 victory over Germany on Thursday to punch its ticket to the knockout stage.

Trailing for much of the match, Ecuador found the breakthrough late as Gonzalo Plata struck in the 77th minute to complete the comeback and send a powerhouse reeling toward elimination.

The win is a milestone for Ecuador in a tournament defined by its scale — the first World Cup to feature 48 teams and the first co-hosted by three nations: the United States, Canada and Mexico. Reaching the knockout round over a traditional contender like Germany underscores how wide open this edition has become.

Around the rest of the group stage, the drama kept coming. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Portugal thrashed Uzbekistan 5-0, becoming the first player ever to score at six different World Cups. Elsewhere, Scotland held Brazil to a 0-0 draw, and Morocco edged Haiti 4-2.

With the group stage wrapping up, attention now turns to a knockout bracket full of surprises — and Ecuador is very much a part of it.