Darwin Guagua

Last updated
Darwin Guagua
Personal information
Full name Darwin Johan Guagua Silva [1]
Date of birth (2007-11-06) 6 November 2007 (age 18)
Place of birth Guayaquil, Guayas, Ecuador [1]
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) [1]
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Independiente del Valle
Number 55
Youth career
2018–2025 Independiente del Valle
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2025– Independiente del Valle 13 (2)
International career‡
2025– Ecuador 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:53, 20 October 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 16:53, 1 June 2025 (UTC)

Darwin Johan Guagua Silva (born 6 November 2007) is an Ecuadorian footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Independiente Del Valle.

Contents

Club career

Following his senior international debut, pressure mounted on his club, Independiente Del Valle, to play him. Head coach Javier Rabanal, who described Guagua as "one of the most outstanding youth players" at the club, stated that Guagua had been busy with the club's under-20 side at the U-20 Copa Libertadores, and this was the reason he had not yet made his debut. [2] Tipped to feature against fellow Ecuadorian side Barcelona in the Copa Libertadores, Guagua was absent from the travelling squad, with Independiente director Santiago Morales stating that his international call-up had affected him mentally, and "because of this state of mind", he was not considered. [3] His debut would come in Independiente's following match; on 5 April he replaced Patrik Mercado in the second half of the 4–0 Ecuadorian Serie A win against Cuenca. [4]

On his second appearance for the club, Guagua notched his first goal; in a Serie A game against Universidad Católica on 29 June 2025, having already assisted Ronald Briones' opening goal, Guagua netted from six yards for Independiente's second in their eventual 3–0 win. [5] The following week, in Independiente's match against Barcelona, Guagua converted a scuffed cross from Emerson Pata on his weaker right foot in the 1–1 draw on 6 July. [6]

International career

In March 2025, Guagua was controversially called up by manager Sebastián Beccacece to the Ecuador national football team, despite having not yet made his professional debut for his club, Independiente Del Valle, nor their affiliate in the Ecuadorian Serie B, Independiente Juniors. [7] [8] Having been readied as a substitute for Ecuador's match against Venezuela on 21 March, he remained on the bench following a late goal by Venezuela's Jhonder Cádiz. [9] However, four days later, on 25 March, he started in Ecuador's eventual 0–0 draw with Chile. [10] In making his senior debut, he became the third-youngest player in Ecuador's history, behind Kendry Páez and Jorge Bolaños. [11]

In April 2025, Ecuadorian newspaper Diario Extra reported receiving audio recordings from someone close to the Ecuadorian Football Federation, suggesting that Guagua had been called up to the senior squad in such circumstances in order to raise his value for a sale to a foreign club. [12] In making his senior international debut against Chile, Guagua became eligible to apply for a work visa in the United Kingdom, which would allow him to play in the Premier League. [12] Despite this controversy, Guagua was called up again by Beccacece ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Brazil and Peru at the end of May 2025. [13]

Guagua later revealed that he had received threats after making his debut, with fans unhappy that he had been allowed to feature for the senior national squad despite a perceived lack of merit to support his inclusion. [14] Independiente's director, Santiago Morales, stated that Guagua had received psychological support from the club, as the messages had affected him, with manager Javier Rabanal keeping him away from first-team duties for two months following his club debut. [15] [16]

Career statistics

Club

As of 24 May 2025. [17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCup [a] ContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Independiente del Valle 2025 Ecuadorian Serie A 132106 [b] 000202
Career total132106000202
Notes
  1. ↑ Includes Copa Ecuador
  2. ↑ Appearances in the Copa Sudamericana

International

As of matches played 1 June 2025 [18]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Ecuador 202510
Total10

References

  1. 1 2 3 Darwin Guagua at WorldFootball.net
  2. ↑ "El fuerte respaldo de Independiente del Valle a Darwin Guagua tras su debut en La Tri" [Independiente del Valle's strong support for Darwin Guagua after his debut with La Tri]. Ole (in Spanish). 26 March 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  3. ↑ "'Es el mayor afectado, no fue convocado y es por este estado de ánimo', Independiente del Valle justifica ausencia de Darwin Guagua para medir a Barcelona SC" ['He's the most affected, he wasn't called up and it's because of this state of mind,' Independiente del Valle justifies Darwin Guagua's absence from the match against Barcelona SC]. El Universo (in Spanish). 1 April 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  4. ↑ Verdezoto, Kevin (5 April 2025). "Darwin Guagua debutó profesionalmente con Independiente del Valle" [Darwin Guagua made his professional debut with Independiente del Valle]. Ecuavisa (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  5. ↑ Villavicencio, Roberto (30 June 2025). "Darwin Guagua: primer gol para dejar atrás las críticas por la convocatoria a la Tri" [Darwin Guagua: First goal to overcome criticism of his call-up to the Tri]. Expreso (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  6. ↑ "Con la pierna inhábil: el gol de Darwin Guagua para el 1-0 de IDV ante Barcelona" [With a weak leg: Darwin Guagua's goal for IDV's 1-0 win over Barcelona]. Ole (in Spanish). 5 June 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  7. ↑ Sghirla, Gabriel (23 March 2025). "Causó polémica contra Venezuela y esto hicieron los jugadores con Darwin Guagua en el entrenamiento de Ecuador" [He caused controversy against Venezuela and this is what the players did with Darwin Guagua during Ecuador's training session]. El Futbolero (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  8. ↑ Macías, Christian (25 March 2025). "Darwin Guagua: ¿quién es la sorpresa en la alineación Tricolor ante Chile?" [Darwin Guagua: Who's the surprise pick in the Tricolor lineup against Chile?]. Expreso (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  9. ↑ Ávila, Andrés (26 March 2025). "Darwin Guagua se robó el protagonismo en la Selección de Ecuador" [Darwin Guagua stole the spotlight for the Ecuadorian national team]. El Comercio (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  10. ↑ "Darwin Guagua, el debutante de la Tricolor que no ha jugado en la Serie A" [Darwin Guagua, the Tricolor debutant who has not played in Serie A]. El Telegrafo (in Spanish). 25 March 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  11. ↑ "¿En qué puesto quedó Darwin Guagua entre los más jóvenes en debutar en la Selección de Ecuador?" [What position did Darwin Guagua place among the youngest to debut for the Ecuadorian national team?]. Ole (in Spanish). 25 March 2025.
  12. 1 2 Dávila, Gustavo (27 April 2025). "Audios filtrados señalan plan de FEF para impulsar venta de Darwin Guagua" [Leaked audio recordings indicate FEF's plan to push for the sale of Darwin Guagua]. Bolavip (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  13. ↑ Moreira, Julio (30 May 2025). "Beccacece define lista de la Tri con 28 jugadores y cuatro arqueros para duelos clave ante Brasil y Perú" [Beccacece defines La Tri's roster with 28 players and four goalkeepers for key matches against Brazil and Peru]. El Diario (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  14. ↑ "Darwin Guagua recibió amenazas por su debut con la Selección de Ecuado" [Darwin Guagua received threats for his debut with the Ecuadorian national team]. El Comercio (in Spanish). 8 August 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  15. ↑ Núñez, Felipe (23 July 2025). "Darwin Guagua: "Quiero seguir luchando para ganar mi puesto en la Selección"" [Darwin Guagua: "I want to keep fighting to win my spot on the national team"]. Primicias (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  16. ↑ "Darwin Guagua reveló lo que vivió tras su comentado debut en la Selección de Ecuador" [Darwin Guagua revealed what he experienced after his much-talked-about debut with the Ecuadorian national team]. ESPN (in Spanish). 7 August 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  17. ↑ Darwin Guagua at Soccerway
  18. ↑ Darwin Guagua at National-Football-Teams.com


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