LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY – MARCH 10: Piero Hincapie of Bayer Leverkusen runs with the ball during the Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg at BayArena on March 10, 2024 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Piero Hincapie is only 23 years old, but he is already an established player in the Bundesliga with experience at the highest level.
The Bayer Leverkusen defender was part of the club's unprecedented league-winning campaign last season. Xabi Alonso He is thought to be a big fan of the youngster, which is why Hincapie agreed new terms at BayArena last month, signing a contract that runs until 2029.
It's a great show of loyalty from Hincapie and a testament to how much his coach values him.
Watch: Xabi Alonso shows his skills against Atalanta player Gasperini!
“Piero Hincapie joins us in 2021 as a 19-year-old talent.” Bayer managing director Simon Rolfes said in a club statement at the time. “But, even then, you can see how confident he is in his abilities. Today, Piero is in the global professional league like Lionel Messi or Mohamed Salah. He has gained respect all over the world.”
Comparisons with Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah are not cheap; Obviously there's a great player there He hasn't even reached his full potential, but who is the Ecuador international?
Where did Piero Hincapie start his career?
Hincapie started playing football at the age of seven, joining local clubs such as Escuela Rivineria, Emelec and Barcelona. Finally, he took a big step forward in November 2016 by joining Independiente del Valle.
From there he moved to Argentina to play with Talleres. It took just 14 league games there to spark the interest of Bayer, who brought the 19-year-old to Germany for around £6m.
What does Piero Hincapie bring to the table?
Hincapie is a remarkably tenacious and versatile defender who primarily operates on the left side of Alonso's centre-back three.
Thanks to his lightning speed, his speed enables him to cover ground effectively, while his excellent recovery speed makes him particularly adept at defending wide areas. It's a skill honed by his experience playing as a fullback.
This season, Hincapie has won an impressive 81.8% of his tackles while maintaining an extraordinary 91.1% passing accuracy. He embodies the qualities of a modern Bundesliga defender, able to defend well but also exceptional in attack, but his representatives believe he is now ready to step up to the elite teams.
What does his agent say?
Caught out I had the opportunity to speak exclusively with Hincapie's agent, Manuel Sierra, today. During the interview, Serra touched on his client's exceptional abilities on the field and highlighted his outstanding personality off the field.
“He's basically a warrior,” he told us. “He is a leader. For me he is the best left centre-back in the world. One of the best left-backs and the best hybrid players for sure. I mean he needs – or deserves – to play in the best places in the world. He is very happy at Bayer but he is ready for the next step.
“He's also very good at making plays. He loves winning as much as anything else, you know? He fights for wins all the time, even when he's not playing much. He's a warrior, but above all, he's a very good person; a nice guy and a guy.” Humble and knows where he comes from.”
