Altitude, Part 317

Ecuador’s altitudinal reputation is not surprisingly getting a workout this year. Given Ecuador’s lopsided home record in World Cup qualifying–along with Quito’s thin air–has allowed many sources to speculate that Ecuador’s recent international success stems soley from the high altitude of its home field.

Count Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira among those critics.

This speculation, one might say, leads to the following questions: If altitude is so advantageous, why don’t Bolivia and Nepal consistently qualify for the Wrld Cup? Why have Ecuador never qualified prior to 2002? Can the Netherlands not win it all at sea level?

Sure, there are may variables in play, and sure, altitude gives Ecuador a home-field advantage. But surely there has to be something else to write about La Tri. We’ll see. If Ecuador get blown out in three games in Group play, that will be fodder for the critics. If Ecuador advance, hopefully that will put a (temporary) end to the altitude talk.