Miguel Ángel Ramírez has analyzed for MARCA the development of Joel Ordóñez, one of Ecuador’s most promising defensive talents, developed at Independiente del Valle and now firmly established at Club Brugge, competing in the UEFA Champions League at just 21 years of age.
The Canary Islands coach, currently in charge of Malmö, recalled Ordóñez’s early days in the academy: “I met him in 2018. He was in the U-14s, but because of his physique he was already training with the U-16s and getting minutes. He was always physically more mature than the rest of the players his age.” A rapid progression that soon took him to Europe, where he has become an important figure in Belgium.
In his analysis for MARCA, Ramírez highlighted his defensive impact: “Without the ball he is a physical force. Very strong in duels and in the air.” He also underlined his improvement on the ball: “In Belgium he has improved a lot with the ball at his feet. It was something he struggled with in the youth ranks, but Brugge has given him tools to develop in that area.”
Ramírez also pointed to the ultimate competitive test: “We will see how he responds in the latter stages of the Champions League and whether he can adapt to competitions bigger than the Belgian league. Time will tell, but I am sure he has the qualities to do it”. A statement that reinforces the idea that Ordóñez is one of the most promising young center-backs in European football and another example of the talent pipeline developed at Independiente del Valle.
