Ecuador lost 0-1 to Côte d'Ivoire in their opening FIFA World Cup match. Team captain Enner Valencia was interviewed in the FIFA mixed zone after the match.

Starting the tournament this way is a difficult situation for you. What are your thoughts?

Yes, we knew it was a difficult situation because, of course, we didn't want to start the tournament this way. Nobody was prepared for such a start. Everyone expected a good start, but it didn't happen.

Honestly, we tried our best in every aspect, especially in the first half, where we created many chances. Unfortunately, we couldn't score, and the opponent capitalized on their chances, so they won the game.

Besides the expectation for a good start, are you dissatisfied with the team's performance today? The outside world has been saying all week that the opponent is a very physical team. Do you think Ecuador struggled physically?

From your perspective, perhaps, but I don't feel that way myself. What I saw were two teams fighting hard for every ball. Indeed, in the play where we conceded, the opponent launched a counterattack, and our positioning might have been a bit unstable. As I just said, they converted their chances into goals, and we didn't.

We are leaving with a loss, but we will hold our heads high because the tournament has just begun, and there are still opportunities. We still have two group stage matches, so we need to rest now and prepare for the upcoming games.

Did the team also encounter some difficulties with aerial balls and set pieces?

No, I don't think so, because there were no situations in these areas that particularly worried us. I think the main issue was that we couldn't convert the chances we created into goals, or perhaps we lacked a bit of luck. We hit the crossbar two or three times. But what happened has happened.

Now we need to review what we did well and what needs improvement, to prepare for the next match and the subsequent ones. I think in such a tournament, you have to play smart enough. It's a pity that we couldn't hold on to the game after a chance in the final stages today. Although we lost, we must now encourage our teammates because this is just the beginning, and we know there's a long way to go.

After a loss, it's sometimes hard to talk about these things immediately. But putting the result aside, what do you think this team can still achieve?

I don't think our mindset will change because of this situation. We've been through worse times. Honestly, this team has overcome much more difficult situations than this before, and this will be another test for us. I know we have the ability to turn things around, and we must continue to believe in ourselves that we can do it. I believe everyone will think the same way.

Next, on June 21st, we play against Curaçao, and then Germany. What does Ecuador need to do to qualify for the next round?

I don't think we need to change too much. I think we need to continue playing our style, sticking to what brought us here. You could see that in many stages of today's game; we were able to control the ball well and create attacking threats. The next game might be completely different, and we hope to convert all the chances we create.