Gonzalo Plata's Ecuador take odd step for World Cup matches | OneFootball

Flamengo player’s team, Ecuador to use special vests during matches

The high temperatures in the United States have led to creative solutions for the national teams set to play in the World Cup. Ecuador, featuring Gonzalo Plata, has decided that its players will wear special vests during hydration breaks in World Cup matches.

The first test took place on Sunday (07), during Ecuador’s 3-0 win in a friendly against Guatemala. With temperatures at 31 degrees in Columbus, the city that hosted the friendly, Plata and his teammates wore vests with cooling gel in an attempt to lower their body temperature while coach Sebastián Beccacece gave instructions.

The Flamengo player, however, did not suffer as much from the heat. That’s because Plata was rested for the match and only came on in the second half, at halftime. Even so, the Flamengo man is an undisputed starter for Ecuador and a key piece in Beccacece’s tactical setup.

WHAT OTHER CURIOUS MEASURE DREW ATTENTION AGAINST THE HEAT?

While Ecuador is betting on cooling gel vests, Norway is using another method to deal with the U.S. summer. Haaland’s team undergoes daily urine tests to check hydration levels. In the European country, maximum temperatures are usually around 20 degrees, and minimums fall below zero.

WHEN DOES ECUADOR TAKE THE FIELD?

With Gonzalo Plata among the starters and the cooling gel vests ready, Ecuador will make its World Cup debut next Sunday (14), at 8 p.m. (Brasília time), against Ivory Coast. Also in Group E, the South Americans will face Curaçao and Germany.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.