Ecuador could be expelled from the World Cup in Qatar following revelations that Bryan Castillo falsified his birth documents.
Chile filed a complaint with FIFA after Ecuador booked their place for the 2022 tournament, claiming that Castillo was in fact born in Colombia.
The right-back featured eight times in his World Cup qualifying campaign before incredible claims emerged involving false identities and alleged cover-ups by the Ecuadorian FA.
However, FIFA rejected the Chilean FA’s complaint in June and ruled that Castillo was born in Ecuador.
The incredible story has taken many twists and turns since then, with Spanish publication Marca obtaining his Colombian birth certificate.
The Mail published an audio recording of an interview with Castillo, conducted by the Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) investigation commission, four years ago.
He states that he was actually born in 1995 and not in 1998, as his Ecuadorian birth certificate indicates.
He also confirmed that his real name is actually Bayron Javier Castillo Segura, as listed on his Colombian birth certificate.
Castillo also details how he left his hometown in Colombia to cross the border into Ecuador in order to have more opportunities to play football.
“I crossed the border because, you know, Tumaco teams play in San Lorenzo,” Castillo explains.
“I went to test at San Lorenzo, I remember it very well. I was never picked for any of the teams in those tries, but my friend who was picked never showed up, so I went instead.
He also revealed that Marco Zambrano, an Ecuadorian businessman and owner of NorteAmerica, who was suspended by the FEF in 2018, was behind the fake ID.
FIFA’s appeal committee is due to rule on the matter on Thursday and Ecuador could be kicked out of the World Cup.
They are due to face hosts Qatar in the first game of the tournament on November 20.
If FIFA were to follow recent precedent, two 3-0 wins would be awarded to Chile following their complaints. They would drop from seventh to fourth and take Equator’s place.