Ecuador: Agustin Delgado

The list of top goalscorers in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying campaign read like a ‘who’s who’ of Samba stars Rivaldo, Batistuta, Salas, even Paraguayan goalie Jose Luis Chilavert. But the name that finished alongside Argentina striker Hernan Crespo at the top of the pile has a less familiar ring to it : Ecuador's Agustin Delgado

The list of top goalscorers in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying campaign read like a ‘who’s who’ of Samba stars Rivaldo, Batistuta, Salas, Romario, Veron, Zamorano, even Paraguayan goalie Jose Luis Chilavert.

But the name that finished alongside Argentina striker Hernan Crespo at the top of the pile has a less familiar ring to it.

Ecuador striker Agustin Delgado netted nine goals in qualifying, the same as Crespo, as his country stunned their South American rivals by qualifying for their first-ever World Cup in second place.

Delgado admitted: ‘‘At the start of qualifying, I did not imagine I would be one of the top goalscorers, because the dream was always to see us qualify for the World Cup.’’

Delgado might well have been out top on his own had he not missed qualifying matches against Uruguay and Chile.

His impressive showings against some of the toughest defences in world football caught the attention of English Premiership side Southampton.

And in November, they invested £3.5million to bring the talented player to Europe from Mexican side Necaxa.

A minor operation for a knee problem delayed the start of Delgado’s career with the Saints, but he was in no doubt that it was the right move for him.

He said after signing: ‘‘I am going because I have been given a good contract and it is an opportunity to develop further in the English league, one of the best in the world.

‘‘I have seen many English Premiership games on television and believe it to be one of the most exciting in the world, I am very moved to be part of it.

‘‘I am happy for what is now a new stage in my life as a soccer player which I will try to undertake with greater maturity.’’

Unfortunately, the Ecuadorian was pleading to be released from his contract before the season was out as the dream move turned sour and injury curtailed his chances of impressing Saints boss Gordon Strachan.

Nevertheless, his career biography prior to his Southampton move is testament to his ability to produce the goods at the very highest level.

His tally of nine goals in qualifying is impressive enough but he has scored more than three times that figure in less than 50 internationals, putting him on a par with the very best goalscorers in the world.

Not bad for a player who plays for one of South America’s more unheralded teams.

Delgado’s coup de grace on the international stage came in Quito on March 28 last year when his 49th-minute strike gave Ecuador their first-ever win over four-time world champions Brazil.

But the 6ft 3in Ibarro-born heavyweight striker, whose surname in Spanish ironically means ‘thin’ or ‘delicate’, was hitting the headlines even before then.

European giants Real Madrid have been on the receiving end of Delgado’s finishing ability.

He scored a superb goal for Necaxa against the Spaniards in the third-place play-off of the inaugural FIFA Club World Championships last year.

That goal earned Necaxa a 1-1 draw after normal time and he went on to fire home the winning penalty in the shoot-out against the Spaniards.

Injury-permitting, Delgado could well be a force to be reckoned with in Japan and Korea, although Ecuador are more than just a one-man team.

As his international strike partner Ivan Kaviedes, who plays in Spain with Celta Vigo, confirmed: ‘‘The important thing is that in Ecuador there are no stars. We are all together as one.’’