Erick Cabal is a 19-year-old player who is currently a regular starter for Independiente del Valle under 19. Cabal started his youth career at LDU Quito but signed for Independiente del Valle in 2021. He played his matches for Independiente del Valle so far in the under 18 and under 19 team, while also being a part of the under 20 team in the Copa Libertadores U20. The right wing-back has also experience playing at left wing-back for Independiente del Valle. Cabal has not been a part of a national youth team of Ecuador.
Standing at approximately 1.75 – 1.80 meters with a slim build, Erick Cabal is far from the strongest right wing-back. He struggles physically against many opponents but compensates for this with his aggressiveness and high intensity at times. Erick Cabal has decent acceleration on the first meters and has good speed over long distances. Cabal is capable of changing directions relatively quickly while sprinting. He displays good flexibility and decent agility too. Cabal is quite athletic and has very good stamina, always giving his all throughout the entire match.
Erick Cabal likes to come inside in first-phase possession to create space for the winger to come short. Cabal has a decent but not great first touch under pressure, even though he looks quite comfortable under pressure. Cabal is quite dynamic in possession, always looking to pass and move. He has decent close control while dribbling but can lose control over the ball at times even though he often manages to keep the ball close to him. His passing over short distances is quite clean and consistent. Cabal’s long passing technique does not look nice and clean but he is quite an accurate passer. The right wing-back has good decision-making and composure in the final third, also displaying a good crossing technique to find teammates in the box.
Defensively, Erick Cabal is a very energetic and high-intensity presser. He likes to step up very often throughout the match and times this really well in most situations. Cabal uses his body well to win the ball back in 1v1 duels, even though he has a slim build. The Ecuadorian defender covers runs in behind really well, also because of his good speed over long distances, and displays good decision-making to not overcommit in defence. He likes to step up as mentioned, but does not do this blindly. The right wing-back has decent defensive positioning, often cutting passing lanes well and being in the right position to intercept passes. His clearances in the box can be very sloppy, which is something he needs to work on.
Erick Cabal is not one of Independiente del Valle’s most-exciting talents but I am confident he could become a good player in Liga Pro. At Independiente del Valle, he will undoubtedly face competition from Jeampaul Herrera, Gerald Mora and Jalisthon Angulo. It is unlikely that Cabal wins that competition, but like Carlos Sanchez he could become a good squad player for Independiente del Valle. However, if he develops his physique he could become a good player for most teams in Liga Pro. He has the potential to become a good player in Liga Pro and perhaps make a transfer to Brazil, Argentina or the MLS at the peak of his career.