Position: Defender/Midfielder
Born: 08.08.74
Club: Aston Villa

Ulises de la Cruz can play as either a marauding right-back or as a right-winger and has the pace to damage to opposition defences from either spot.

He shone at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea, and Graham Taylor saw enough to pay SPL side Hibernian £1.5million for his services.

De la Cruz has been in and out of the team since arriving at Villa Park, but he had a good 2004/2005 season, making 34 appearances.

At 31, this will probably be his last World Cup and he will hope that Ecuador can reach the second round for the first time. He and Ivan Hurtado will be the senior members of a defence that will have plenty of work to do in Germany.