Eduardo Estíguar Hurtado Roa (born 2 December 1969) is an Ecuadorian former professional footballer who played as a forward. He is the third all-time top goalscorer for the Ecuador national team with 26 goals in 74 caps.rsssf: Ecuador record international footballers He has played for teams in his home nation as well as Mexico, the United States, Scotland, Switzerland, Chile and Argentina. In America's Major League Soccer (MLS), he was the second highest goal scorer in the league's opening season, helping the Los Angeles Galaxy make a run for the playoffs. He was active for nearly 20 years, retiring at 40 years old in 2010.
Career Hurtado, nicknamed El Tanque ("The Tank") for his towering frame and his aggressive playing style (trying to roll over everything in his path), 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. 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 (MLS). In 1996, the league's first year, he finished second in goals, scoring 21 for the Los Angeles Galaxy. He scored three goals in the playoffs as the Galaxy fell short in the MLS Cup final and he was named to the MLS Best XI at the end of the season. After only scoring eight goals in 1997, Hurtado was traded to the MetroStars after two games into the 1998 season and finished the year with 11 goals and 15 assists (10 and 14 of those for the Metros), plus a goal in the playoffs.
After scoring two goals in the Metro season opener in 1999, Hurtado scored just five goals throughout the rest of the season. Playing for one of the worst teams in league history, he was criticized for missing easy goalscoring chances 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 released.
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, returning to Ecuador to play for Olmedo. In 2006, he played for the 2nd Division club C.S. Norte América.
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 played in San Camilo of the 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.
+ List of international goals scored by Eduardo HurtadoNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1Estadio Modelo Alberto Spencer Herrera, Guayaquil, Ecuador1–03–0Friendly2Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador4–06–11993 Copa America3Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador2–02–01993 Copa America4Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador1–03–01993 Copa America5 8 August 1993 Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador 2–0 5–0 1994 World Cup qualification6 3–07 5–08Toyama Athletic Stadium, Toyama, Japan1–11–2Friendly9 4 June 1995 Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul, South Korea 1–0 4–1 Friendly10 2–111 3–112 4–113Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul, South Korea1–02–1Friendly14Estadio Ramón Tahuichi Aguilera, Santa Cruz, Bolivia2–22–2Friendly15Riyadh, Saudi Arabia2–02–0Friendly16Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar1–01–1Friendly17Kuwait City, Kuwait2–03–0Friendly18Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar1–02–1Friendly19Estadio Monumental, Guayaquil, Ecuador1–04–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification204–121Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador2–02–01998 FIFA World Cup qualification22Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru1–12–1Friendly232–124Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado, Quito, Ecuador1–01–3Friendly25Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador2–02–12002 FIFA World Cup qualification
Honors Ecuador Canada Cup: 1999 Korea Cup: 1995
Individual MLS All-Star: 1996All-Star Game flashback, 1996 at MLSsoccer.com MLS Best XI: 1996
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