Piero Hincapié: World Cup One to Watch
Excitement is starting to build all over the world of football as the 2022 FIFA World Cup is mere days away.
For the players, such huge tournaments are the biggest stages they can get to showcase their talents. Nowhere does this ring truer than for under-23 talents.
Therefore, we will be taking a look at a number of young talents who are primed to impress in Qatar this winter.
Today Adam Khan joins us to discuss Piero Hincapié.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have a rich and illustrious history of promoting South American talent on the continent.
Since the signing of Brazilian youngster Milton Queiroz da Paixão - known as Tita - in 1987, Die Werkself have grown a reputation for providing a landing spot for various cross-Atlantic stars looking to build a career in Europe.
The likes of Paulo Sérgio, Jorginho, Lúcio, and Zé Roberto all featured for Leverkusen before lifting the World Cup with Brazil, while Renato Augusto, Diego Placente, and Arturo Vidal went on to enjoy impressive careers after making their first steps in Europe with the club from West-Germany.
Even in the current Leverkusen set-up, there is a clear stamp of South American heritage.
4 players in the 28-man squad hail from South America, not to mention assistant manager, Sebastián Parilla, who was born in La Plata, Argentina.
As so often, there is a Brazilian talent - this time coming in the form of Olympic gold medalist Paulinho (22) - but it is another player born south of the Equator who is truly grabbing headlines at the BayArena.
20-year-old Piero Hincapié, signed as a teenager from Club Atlético Talleres in 2020, has taken to the demands of German football with ease.
Though many foresaw him struggling for first-team minutes given that he had contested just one full season in the Argentinian topflight, the Ecuadorian international has shattered any and all expectations with stellar performances in his first season at Bayer Leverkusen.