Mendez rejoins Ecuador’s 2010 South Africa bid

May 13, 2008

Ecuador midfielder Edison Mendez has announced his desire to rejoin his countries bid to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals in South Africa following his decision to quit international football in February.

“I want to apologise to the Ecuadorean people, to my mother and my son,” the PSV Eindhoven player told reporters. “I want to be part of the team which qualifies for the World Cup in South Africa.”

The 29-year old has scored 13 goals in 81 international appearances and represented Ecuador in both the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups.

However he quit the squad in February claiming he was burnt out from the travelling between Ecuador and Europe, although media reports claimed it was due to a fall out with coach Sixto Vizuete.

His announcement came after a meeting with directors of the Ecuadorean Football Federation (FEF).

Vizuete, formerly in charge of the U-20 side, replaced Luis Fernando Suarez, who quit after a 5-1 South Africa 2010 qualifying defeat in Paraguay in November.

He admitted on Monday that Mendez would be welcomed back to the squad.

Ecuador’s hopes of qualifying for 2010 South Africa look bleak as they sit 8th in the South American qualifying group having picked up just three points in four games.

Ecuador’s next game is a friendly away to France on 27 May. Their next qualifier is against Argentina in Buenos Aires on 15 June.

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