# Piero Hincapié

Piero Martín Hincapié Reyna (born 9 January 2002) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or left-back for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen and the Ecuador national team.

## Club career

Hincapié began playing football at the age of seven, initially for local clubs Escuela Refinería, Emelec and Barcelona. Aged ten, the defender moved to Guayaquil with Norte América. After a spell with Deportivo Azogues, he joined Independiente del Valle in November 2016. Hincapié was promoted into their first-team in August 2019 for a Serie A match with Mushuc Runa. He was selected to start and played the full duration of a narrow home defeat. In the subsequent 2020 campaign, shortly after winning the U-20 Copa Libertadores, Hincapié made appearances off the bench against Universidad Católica and Macará.
On 20 August 2020, Hincapié switched Ecuador for Argentina after agreeing a five-year contract with Primera División side Talleres; who paid $1,000,000 for 50% of his pass.
In August 2021, Hincapié signed for the German Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. He made his debut on 16 August, coming into the Europa League group stage match against Ferencváros as Leverkusen won 2–1. He scored his first goal for the club on 30 September, scoring the opening goal against Celtic in a 4–0 victory in the Europa League. In 2024, Hincapié was part of the Leverkusen team that won the club’s first ever Bundesliga title.

## International career

Hincapié appeared for the Ecuador U15s in 2017. In 2019, Hincapié represented his country as captain at U17 level. He played seven times at the South American U-17 Championship in Peru, before featuring four times at the subsequent FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil.
Hincapié was selected in the 28 player Ecuador squad for the 2021 Copa América. On 13 June 2021, Hincapié debuted for the Ecuador senior squad in a 2021 Copa América match against Colombia, playing the full match as Ecuador lost 1–0.
On 14 November 2022, Hincapié was named in Ecuador's 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He played 90 minutes in the group stage win against Qatar, the draw against the Netherlands, and defeat against Senegal.
Hincapié was called up to the final 26-man Ecuador squad for the 2024 Copa América.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 16 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Independiente del Valle | 2019 | Ecuadorian Serie A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Independiente del Valle | 2020 | Ecuadorian Serie A | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Independiente del Valle | Total | Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Talleres | 2021 | Argentine Primera División | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 0 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2021–22 | Bundesliga | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | — | 33 | 2 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | — | — | 43 | 1 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 26 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0 | — | — | 43 | 1 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2024–25 | Bundesliga | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 3 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | Total | Total | 107 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 40 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 155 | 7 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 124 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 46 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 180 | 7 |
* ↑ Includes Copa Argentina, DFB-Pokal
* ↑ Appearances in Copa Sudamericana
* 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Five appearances in UEFA Champions League, eight appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Appearance in DFL-Supercup

### International

    As of match played 19 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Ecuador | 2021 | 12 | 1 |
| Ecuador | 2022 | 12 | 0 |
| Ecuador | 2023 | 6 | 0 |
| Ecuador | 2024 | 13 | 2 |
| Total | Total | 43 | 3 |
Scores and results list Ecuador's goal tally first.
List of international goals scored by Piero Hincapié :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 11 November 2021 | Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado, Quito, Ecuador | Venezuela | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 16 June 2024 | Pratt & Whitney Stadium, East Hartford, United States | Honduras | 2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 3 | 26 June 2024 | Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, United States | Jamaica | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2024 Copa América |

## Honours

Independiente del Valle
* U-20 Copa Libertadores: 2020
Bayer Leverkusen
* Bundesliga: 2023–24
* DFB-Pokal: 2023–24
* DFL-Supercup: 2024
* UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2023–24
Individual
* IFFHS Men's World Youth (U20) Team: 2022
* Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2024