QUITO, Ecuador (AP) - Ecuador coach Reinaldo Rueda has selected three young European-based players for his 30-man preliminary squad for the World Cup.
Ecuador is training in the Netherlands ahead of its exhibition against the Dutch side this weekend.
Midfielders Carlos Gruezo, Renato Ibarra, and defender Christian Ramirez have all made the initial cut. Gruezo plays for Stuttgart, Ramirez is with Fortuna Duesseldorf and Ibarra is with Dutch club Vitesse.
Ecuador is expected to pick its final 23-man roster on May 23.
The South American side has been drawn in Group E with Switzerland, France and Honduras. It opens against Switzerland on June 15 in Brasilia and is a contender in the group.
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