cuador threaten to axe senior stars after they took £17m Chelsea wonderkid Kendry Paez, 16, to New York strip club, where a team-mate threw cash at strippers hours before a game while partying with £115m Moises Caicedo
Ecuador’s national federation have threatened to sack senior members of their squad after Chelsea’s 16-year-old prodigy Kendry Paez was taken to a strip club in New York during the international break.
On Monday, videos emerged on social media of Ecuador players partying in New York at nightclubs and bars.
Footage is believed to have been taken after Ecuador’s 2-0 friendly win over Guatemala on Friday.
Chelsea’s £17million signing Paez was among the players spotted by fans in the videos, with the youngster signing a shirt in a restaurant.
Another clip showed Moises Caicedo, Jeremy Sarmiento, José Cifuentes, John Yeboah and Willian Pacho who Chelsea signed for £115 million at the TAO restaurant.
Chelsea’s 16-year-old prodigy Kendry Paez was reportedly taken to a New York strip club by teammates from Ecuador despite being underage
Paez, who was signed by Chelsea for £17million, was unable to enter the strip club as a minor
Chelsea’s £115million signing Moises Caicedo was among the players pictured celebrating
Caicedo was seen dancing in the video, which shows a sign reading “Ecuador in the house.”
Further videos showed Paez attending a strip club with teammates Robert Arboleda and Gonzalo Plata.
Paez’s appearance has sparked controversy because the teenager was a minor, with the law banning anyone under the age of 21 from attending.
Sao Paulo’s Robert Arboleda has been criticized for a video showing the defender throwing money at a stripper in the club, with Paez to his right.
Images of the players partying in New York emerged after Ecuador suffered a 2-0 friendly defeat to Italy on Sunday.
Ecuador’s national federation confirmed that players had been given time off following their win over Guatemala two days earlier.
The federation condemned the footage, saying it was contrary to its “values and principles”, before warning that players risked future call-ups to the national team.
“Given the facts that are publicly known, the FEF says the following: The official delegation had free time on Friday, March 22, from 2 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., a schedule that was fully respected,” said a statement from the Ecuadorian Football Federation.
A video showed Robert Arboleda throwing money at a stripper in the nightclub
Paez, right, was pictured next to teammate Arboleda, left, while at the New York strip club
“Images of events contrary to the values and principles that we as an institution defend and promote have been circulated, which will be the subject of analysis for future calls.
“We reiterate our commitment to Ecuadorian football.”
Arboleda responded to the scandal on social media, stating, “From now on, on my days off, I’m just going to read the Bible because you can’t even have fun, ohhhhhhhhh, I promise.”
His teammate Plata, who plays for Qatari side Al-Sadd, responded to criticism by writing “They don’t like anything, it’s bad to have fun” in a now-deleted post.
Arboleda and Plata have previously been sanctioned by the Ecuadorian Football Federation for breaching disciplinary rules.
The duo were among five players suspended by the national team after partying the night before a match against Argentina in 2017.
Arboleda was also involved in a party on the 17th floor of a hotel during the 2019 Copa America.
Plata, a 23-year-old winger, was previously involved in controversy after injuring two people in a car accident in 2021.
The attacker, who played for Real Valladolid in Spain at the time, was found to be more than twice over the drink-driving limit.
Paez is seen as a rising star in Ecuador and became the national team’s youngest player when he made his debut in September.
Plata responded to the scandal on Instagram, writing in a now-deleted post “They don’t like anything, it’s bad to have fun”
The videos were reportedly taken two days before Ecuador’s friendly defeat to Italy
The teenager then scored his first goal for the national team in October.
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City and several other European clubs scouted him extensively before Chelsea secured his signature, with Paez continuing to learn English before his arrival.
Paez cannot officially move to Chelsea until he is 18, with the youngster continuing to play for Independiente del Valle.