Kendry Páez Posts World Cup Photo Ahead of June 14 Debut
kendry páez completed Ecuador's official World Cup photo shoot two days before the team was due to debut, then posted the images with a message that read "Cumpliendo un sueño" and a heart emoji plus the Ecuadorian flag. The 19-year-old midfielder also appeared in one pose imitating Sebastián Driussi's goal celebration.
Páez and Ecuador in Philadelphia
Páez shared the photos on his official Instagram account before Ecuador's match against Costa de Marfil on Sunday, June 14, in Philadelphia. The timing put his image work and his match status in the same frame: the photos were part of the tournament presentation, while his availability had already been watched after a pre-World Cup friendly against Guatemala in Columbus, Ohio.
After that Guatemala match, Sebastián Beccacece said Páez was in optimal condition for Ecuador's debut. That left Ecuador with one of its most important attacking pieces available for the opener, and it also kept Páez's World Cup role active at a moment when a squad change could still be made up to 24 hours before each team's debut if a player was injured or ill.
River's compensation angle
The move also carried a financial layer for River. The club would receive 1.815 dólares por día from FIFA's compensation fund if Páez played in the World Cup, and River had five other players called up for the tournament.
That pool included Gonzalo Montiel, Matías Viña, Kevin Castaño, Juanfer Quintero and Matías Galarza Fonda, while Nicolás Otamendi's club situation was mentioned as an exception for River's first-round compensation because he comes from Benfica. For River, Páez's minutes in the tournament would therefore affect more than Ecuador's lineup; they would also affect the daily compensation clock attached to his World Cup participation.
For Páez, the message was simple and personal. He had reached the official World Cup stage, put the photos on Instagram and wrote that he was living "Cumpliendo un sueño" before Ecuador took the field in Philadelphia.
