Layan Loor has received a notable piece of external recognition, with the CIES Football Observatory ranking the Independiente del Valle left-back as the best-performing wide back in South America.
Loor tops the CIES list with a performance index of 78.9, ahead of River Plate’s Marcos Acuña on 78.4. The ranking covers wide defenders across the continent rather than separating left- and right-backs.
The CIES performance index is data-driven and uses information from Impect, evaluating several areas of a player’s contribution rather than relying on traditional journalist ratings. The model takes into account actions including chance creation, progression with the ball, build-up play, defensive work and other aspects of performance.
The timing is interesting for another reason.
Bolavip reports, citing information from Nicolás Ayala with FedePostera, that new Ecuador head coach Marcelo Gallardo is considering Loor as an option for the national team. No call-up has been announced, so this remains a reported possibility rather than a confirmed selection.
Gallardo already knows the player from direct opposition. Loor started for Independiente del Valle when they faced Gallardo’s River Plate in the 2025 Copa Libertadores, a match that finished 2-2 in Quito.
Loor has previously been involved with Ecuador at senior level, including a call-up in 2024, meaning a place in Gallardo’s first cycle would be a recall rather than a first introduction to La Tri.
For a player already on the SkyrScout radar, the two developments make for an interesting combination: a continent-wide performance model currently places him at the top of his positional group, while his name is also being discussed around Ecuador’s new national-team setup.
No call-up yet. But being ranked first among South America’s wide backs is not the worst way to get a new national coach’s attention.