David Cabezas

Growing up in Santo Domingo, David Cabezas came through the youth ranks of Clan Juvenil and Pililahua before moving into El Nacional's system. He made his professional debut for the side on 26 May 2017, against Macará.

Those years were not smooth. El Nacional dropped out of Ecuador's top flight in 2020, and Cabezas stayed on through the relegation rather than move elsewhere, helping the club fight its way back to the Serie A in 2023.

The exit, when it came, had little to do with form. Ecuadorian outlets reported that El Nacional had fallen months behind on player wages and had not paid the bonuses owed for winning the 2024 Ecuadorian Cup. Cabezas left as a free agent once his spell at the club came to an end.

He signed for Libertad, in Loja, on a one-year deal with an option to extend, taking the number 12 shirt. The move carried no transfer fee, since he arrived without a club.

Cabezas was not part of Ecuador's 2024 Copa América squad, but he made his debut on 31 March 2026 in a friendly against the Netherlands, coming on for the injured Gonzalo Valle in the 58th minute. He conceded nothing in his time on the pitch, and the match finished 1-1. It remains his only appearance for the national side.