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QUITO, May 12 (Reuters) - Ecuador midfielder Edison Mendez, who quit the national team in February, has changed his mind and said on Monday he wanted to play again.
"I want to apologise to the Ecuadorean people, to my mother and my son," the PSV Eindhoven player told reporters.
"I want to be part of the team which qualifies for the World Cup in South Africa."
The 29-year-old, who has made 81 international appearances and scored 13 goals, played at 2002 and 2006 World Cups, the first in which Ecuador have taken part.
Mendez's announcement came after a meeting with directors of the Ecuadorean Football Federation (FEF).
Mendez had quit because he said he was worn out by the travelling between Europe and Ecuador, though media reports said he did not approve of the appointment of Sixto Vizuete as coach.
Vizuete, formerly in charge of the under-20 side, replaced Luis Fernando Suarez, who quit after a 5-1 World Cup qualifying defeat in Paraguay in November.
Vizuete said Monday he would welcome Mendez back into the side.
Ecuador are eighth in the 10-team South American World Cup qualifying group with three points from four games.
Ecuador's next game is a friendly away to France on May 27. Their next World Cup qualifier is against Argentina in Buenos Aires on June 15.
(Writing by Brian Homewood in Rio de Janeiro; editing by Miles Evans)
