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 has only just turned 23 but is already an established Bundesliga player with bags of experience at the highest level.
The Bayer Leverkusen defender was part of the club’s unprecedented championship run last season. Xabi Alonso is believed to be a big fan of the youngster, which is why Hincapie agreed new terms at the BayArena last month, signing a contract that runs until 2029.
It’s a big show of faith from Hincapie and a testament to how much his coach values him.
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Piero Hincapie joined us in 2021 as a 19-year-old talent. Bayer CEO Simon Rolfes said in a club statement at the time. “But even then, you could see how confident he is in his abilities. Today, Piero is in the league of world-class professionals like Lionel Messi or Mo Salah. He has earned respect worldwide.”
Comparisons to Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah are not cheap. clearly there is a brilliant 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 Refineria, Emelec and Barcelona. Finally, he took a major step forward in November 2016 by joining Independiente del Valle.
From there he moved to Argentina to play for Talleres. And it took just 14 league outings there to pique the interest of Bayer, who brought the then 19-year-old to Germany for around £6m.
What does Piero Hincapie bring to the table?
Hincapie is an extremely tenacious and versatile defender who operates primarily on the left side of Alonso’s three-man central defence.
Blessed with a fast pace, his speed allows him to cover ground effectively, while his excellent recovery rate makes him especially adept at defending large 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 outstanding 91.1% pass accuracy. He embodies the qualities of a modern Bundesliga defender, who can defend well but also be excellent in attack, but his representatives believe he is now ready to step up to the elite teams.
What does his agent say?
CaughtOffside 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 pitch and highlighted his exceptional character off it.
“He’s basically a warrior,” he told us. “He’s a leader. He is, for me, the best left central defender in the world. One of the best left backs and certainly the best hybrid players. 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 playmaking. He likes to win more than anything else, you know? He competes for the win all the time, even when he hasn’t played that often. He is a warrior, but above all he is a very good man. nice man and humble guy who knows where he’s from.”
2025-01-10 13:22:00
