MexicoQUITO, Ecuador, June 27 (Reuters) - Thousands of Ecuadoreans put their team's World Cup disappointment behind them to fill the streets of Quito in a rousing celebration to welcome home their soccer team on Tuesday.
A commercial airliner bringing the squad back from Germany after their 1-0 defeat by England was accompanied by two Mirage F-1 fighter jets in a rare honour usually reserved for high-ranking foreign dignitaries.
Coach Luis Fernando Suarez, a Colombian, joined players in a caravan around the city which has enjoyed a festive atmosphere after the team reached the second round of the tournament for the first time.
"There are no words to express what we are feeling. With all the power and positive feeling they have given us we were able to to represent our country with dignity," team captain Ivan Hurtado said.
Quito's streets echoed with the words "Yes We Can" which during the team's World Cup appearance had been the cry of supporters urging on their players.
Ecuador made it through the first round of the tournament thanks to solid victories over Poland and Costa Rica. Their hopes were dashed over the weekend by a free kick by England captain David Beckham.
But Ecuadoreans joined the players in celebrating their performance as a distraction from the political turmoil that has hit the small Andean country over the last year.
"The team played their part and more than anything enjoyed playing against the big boys. We have to give them an unforgettable welcome because in one way or another they managed to lift the country's spirits," one fan said.
The government has praised the team and promised to start infrastructure and social projects in the small towns and villages where most of the players live. Many of Ecuador's national squad are blacks from humble backgrounds whose performance proved an inspiration for the poor majority.
"A glorious page has closed. But another has opened," Vice President Alejandro Serrano Aguilar said in written comments for Reuters.
Ecuador qualified for only their second World Cup with the challenge to prove that they were a team who could play good football away from the high-altitude capital Quito, 2,800 meters above sea level. They won seven of their nine home qualifiers, including one against Brazil, in Quito.
