Eduardo Hurtado


Eduardo Estíguar Hurtado Roa is an Ecuadorian former footballer who played as a striker. He has the record of being the 2nd all-time leading scorer for the Ecuador national football team with 26 goals in 74 caps. He has played for teams in his home nation as well as Mexico, the United States, Scotland, Switzerland, Chile and Argentina. He was one of the early stars of America's Major League Soccer scoring the second most goals in the league's opening season and helping the Los Angeles Galaxy make a run for the playoffs. He was active for nearly 20 years, retiring at age 40 in 2010.

Career

Hurtado, nicknamed El Tanque for his towering frame and his aggressive playing style, has played for many teams in different countries. His first teams were now defunct Valdez Sporting Club from Milagro and Emelec from Guayaquil, in his native Ecuador, and he also had stops in Switzerland, Chile, Mexico, the United States, Argentina, and Scotland. He later returned to Ecuador.

Major League Soccer

Hurtado was one of the early stars of Major League Soccer. In 1996, the league's first year, he finished second in goals, scoring 21 for the Los Angeles Galaxy. He added three in the playoffs as Galaxy fell short in the MLS Cup final and was named to the MLS Best XI after the season. After only eight goals in 1997, Hurtado was traded to the MetroStars two games into the 1998 season and finished the year with 11 goals and 15 assists, plus added a goal in the playoffs.
And then 1999 came. After scoring two goals in the Metro season opener, Hurtado scored just five the rest of the way. Playing for one of the worst teams in league history, he was the epitome of everything wrong with the squad, missing easy sitters and empty nets game after game. El Tanque became known as El Tanque, and the Metros let him go on waivers after the season. The New England Revolution picked him up, but he only lasted three goalless games there before getting his release.

Post-MLS Career

Since his departure from MLS, Hurtado played for Liga Deportiva Universitaria, Argentinos Juniors and then Hibernian, where he joined international teammate Ulises De La Cruz. Hurtado's spell with Hibernian was an unhappy one, as he was signed by Alex McLeish, who soon left the club to join Rangers. Hurtado was ineffective and was given a free transfer by Bobby Williamson.
He then played for Barcelona S.C., El Nacional, the team of Universidad de Concepción, and Audaz Octubrino from Machala. In 2004, he came back to the United States to play indoor soccer, signing with the Cleveland Force of the MISL in December. However, he couldn't adjust to the indoor game and was released in less than a month, going back to Ecuador to play for Olmedo, in 2006 he played for the 2nd Division club Norte America.
He surprisingly announced that he would transfer to Colombian football to sign for the 1st Division Club Deportivo Pereira. The Recordman said: "I feel like I'm 20 years old, I want to score in Colombia" in an interview with a local TV.
In 2008, he plays in San Camilo of Ecuadorian Second Division.
Finally he decided to play his final season at 40 years old with the oldest team in Ecuador, Club Sport Patria in the Second Division.

Honours

Nation