The coaching staff of Independente del Valle initially did not believe the numbers. The pre-season training was underway and a 17 year old with a physical output that was out of the world had surpassed senior players. Piero Hincapie had arrived.Miguel Angel Ramirez – the former manager of the club and the person who gave Hincapie a professional debut – tells Sky Sports, with a laugh, that Hincapie “broke the GPS data every day”. “Speed, sprints, accelerations, high-intensity actions…”
Hincapie, who was in the academy of the Ecuadorian team’s club at the time, had been promoted to the senior squad due to his natural abilities. He beat out Chelsea’s Moises Paicedo and Paris Saint-Germain defender Willian Patcho in their age groups.Ramirez says that Piero was better prepared. He had previously been the academy director of the club. He was a beast physically and much better than anyone in the first team. He was also very impressive in terms of his technical and tactical abilities.”
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Hincapie now displays the same combination of qualities for Mikel Arteta, his staff and Arsenal after he recovered from his groin injury. Arteta said that Hincapie will raise his level as soon as he is physically at his best.
There were hints of this in the win against Slavia Prague on Tuesday.
Hincapie was the first Arsenal footballer in 12 years, to win eight or more duel in a Champions League match with a 100% success rate.
It was a typical combative performance. Hincapie was even pulled away at one point during the first half from a confrontation between Slavia Prague’s Tomas Chory. The striker, who stands at 6ft 6ins tall, probably expected a more positive reaction from his intimidation attempt.
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Tomas Chory, a Slavia Prague player, is squared off against Hincapie
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Hincapie’s colleague Gabriel had to step in.
Arteta praised Hincapie for his “really efficient, really strong” performance. Arsenal is still working to build up his fitness, following his injury return, but Hincapie has made some encouraging early appearances.
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It is the best overall success rate of any Arsenal player this season. It’s a small sample, but it gives a good idea of what he is capable of. Hincapie was among Bayer Leverkusen’s top two players for the same category each of the past three seasons. Arteta described him as a “warrior” and his former manager Xabi Alonso, who won a double with him at Leverkusen used the same word. Arteta asked his friend for advice before making the move. “He was super-complimentary,” he said.Arteta’s squad is of course stacked with high-class defensive options, all of whom have contributed to their recent clean sheets.
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Arsenal has a strong defensive record in this season
Hincapie is a man who has earned the respect of those that know him.Ramirez grins: “He will prove that he’s a competitor with anyone.”He will compete. You will know.His versatility should be a big help. Hincapie, who is now a centre back, can also be a left defender. His versatility has been demonstrated at Arsenal.
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Hincapie played a number of roles for Bayer Leverkusen
Ramirez was first attracted to him when he played as a centre-back for Independiente del Valle. Ramirez says: “I understand he’s not so keen on the position, but at his age he was a left-back. He was a left back who could play both positions.”The shift in emphasis occurred when he was promoted to the senior squad. Ramirez adds, “We preferred him to be a centre back because he was good at building up and had a great technical level. “It made it easier for us that he played in the centre-back position.”He started playing centre-back, and he really enjoyed the position. Our game was aggressive not only in our attacking but also with the way we defend.
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Hincapie played five times for Arsenal.
“We’d be playing against the other team half the time. Piero loved those one-on-1 scenarios, where he could show off his speed and strength to any striker. That is why I believe he still prefers the position of right-back to left-back.These qualities were undoubtedly part of what attracted him to Arsenal. Arteta asks his centre-backs to defend man-to man and hold a high position. Hincapie is a perfect example of a centre-back who has the ability to play in open spaces, and also have the tactical awareness and athleticism necessary to deal with balls behind them. He might be able to dislodge left-back Riccardo Calacieri more easily than centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes. This is because he offers Arsenal a new dimension at left-back.
He will demonstrate that he has the ability to compete against anyone. He will be able to compete with anyone.
Miguel Angel Ramirez on Piero Hincapie
Hincapie is mostly a left-back in the Ecuadorian National Team. His speed and stamina allow him to run up and down the flanks, hug the touchline, and add width with overlapping moves. He was used as a right wing back at Bayer Leverkusen at times.Ramirez says, “He is a physical player with the ability to understand and adapt.” “He has a good sense of space, whether it is inside or out, and knows when to overlap.”
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Hincapie was a crucial player for Xabi lonso at Bayer Leverkusen
Hincapie is also a tactically flexible player who can adapt to the demands of each opponent. Arteta said he “wanted to have him low on that side” because of how the Czech team set up. Arteta claimed that the Czechs’ set up meant he had to “have him low on this side”. But his overlaps can open up new options for Arsenal.
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The 23-year old is determined and ambitious. It is undeniable that his unwavering confidence was a strength, but as a young Independiente del Valle player, it was a challenge to keep him in check.Ramirez smiles again and says, “He was just a kid.””He was promoted very early to the first-team, even before Caicedo or Pacho. You don’t know how to control yourself, your mind, and your mentality when you are young. It’s difficult.
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“At Independiente the first team is very near the academy. Piero wasn’t even 17 yet, but I remember him walking the corridors with confidence as if he were a member of the first team. He thought he was already Franz Beckenbauer or Sergio Ramos.”We tried him. We gave him some minutes with the first team, but we were also very firm and tough about his humility.”He responded to that but he always wanted to speed up the pace. After just a couple of games, he thought he would be ready to move to another club.”His move from Ecuador to Colombian outfit Talleres was met with acrimony by his boyhood club, just months after he made his professional debut at Independiente del Valle.
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Ramirez: “I recall a big fight between me and my club because I did not wish him to leave.” “Not for the team or me, but just because of him. I didn’t believe he was prepared.”He needed to spend more time with us in order to mature. I was right. He suffered at the start of his career with Talleres. He didn’t play. He matured and, with his talent and quality, he was capable of adapting.”Hincapie was only at Talleres for a year before moving to Europe, to Bayer Leverkusen. At 23, Hincapie, who has 48 Ecuadorian caps, is playing for a new club in a new country.
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Hincapie plays a major role in the Ecuadorian national team
Ramirez: “I’m sure he wanted to play in Premier League.” He is still good friends with Caicedo, Pacho, and they are always challenging each other. When he sees his friends playing for some of the biggest clubs on the planet, he says, “I want to be there.”‘”And now, here he comes. Piero Hincapie, who wowed his Ecuadorian coaches as a teenager with his athleticism and has now made his mark in the Premier League at Arsenal. It might not take long for him to raise the bar.Watch Sunderland and Arsenal live on Sky Sports Premier League on Saturday at 5pm; kick-off is 5.30pm
2025-11-06 08:51:00
