Ecuadorian Artist Ilustrates for Sports Illustrated

Why this is here: Cavadrio’s illustration includes references to Ecuador’s diverse cultures—Indigenous, Afro-Ecuadorian, Amazonian, Andean, coastal, and insular—reflecting the country’s complex identity.

Cristian Morocho, a 27-year-old graphic designer from Cuenca, Ecuador, was selected by Sports Illustrated to represent Ecuador in a special project tied to the 2026 World Cup. Morocho, who works under the name ‘Cavadrio’, connected with the magazine through Instagram and was commissioned to create an illustration capturing Ecuador’s cultural pulse through football.

His artwork incorporates symbols of Ecuador like the Mitad del Mundo, volcanoes, and the chacana, alongside references to the country’s diverse Indigenous, Afro-Ecuadorian, Amazonian, Andean, coastal, and island cultures. Cavadrio describes a “graphical responsibility” to create lasting visual representations of Ecuadorian identity.

The artist notes that representing Ecuador’s diversity required careful selection of symbols, rather than attempting to include everything. He continues to work on design, illustration, and mural projects, hoping to share his work internationally and eventually see the Sports Illustrated covers in print.