Suddenly in dreamland

Piero Hincapie has experienced more in the past two years than many other players do in their whole lives. The Ecuadorian became a first-team player, made his debut for his national team, moved to Argentina and then Germany. He says himself that he still "can't believe it," but he has fitted in really well at Leverkusen. He wrote another chapter in his success story this week: The 20-year-old defender has qualified with Ecuador for the World Cup finals in Qatar. 

Piero Hincapie stares at his mobile phone. He scarcely takes in the hilly landscape of the province of Pichincha that flashes by the windscreen of the team bus. Volcanoes, mountains – he knows Ecuador's landscape from countless bus trips to away games. His gaze is fixed on the display of his smart phone. Sergio Ramos is on it as he heads, slide tackles, motivates in the Champions League. Hincapie knows the defender at least as well as the panorama passing by outside – but, in contrast to the landscapes, he hopes to pick up more and more new details from his intensive study of his role model. When he sits on the bus, immersed in YouTube videos, Hincapie does not know that he is getting ever closer to his dream of an international professional career with every journey to the away games of the club Independiente del Valle.

via Argentina to germany

Less than two years later, he is suddenly closer to clashes with his former idol than to the Ecuadorian Andes. The now 20-year-old is sitting in the BayArena in the best of moods. Wrapped up in a fleecy hooded pullover, he reports on all the events he has experienced since the often eight-hour journeys with the team bus. Of the numerous unexpected twists and turns in his life – and from his own astonishment. "I've also been surprised by the events and didn't realise it. Everything has happened so quickly and my family can't believe it either. Two years ago, nobody would have believed I would move to Argentina as an 18-year-old and to Germany a year later and then suddenly be playing regularly in the Bundesliga. All my expectations have already been exceeded."

Round the world in 18 months. Independiente del Valle, Talleres Cordoba, Bayer 04 Leverkusen. A meteoric rise; Two different worlds. Memories of home are still fresh, the time before the life as a European professional footballer clearly in mind. Hincapie knows about sudden changes as they have followed him from early on.

He left his home as a 10-year-old to play football. He moved out of his parents house in Esmeraldas to Guayaquil to the boarding school of the club CS Norte América. "There were good and difficult times. My parents always very much looked after me and my two brothers and sisters. We did well and we had a meal on the table every evening: That's not a given in Ecuador and I'm grateful that I never had to go to sleep on an empty stomach. Sometimes there was a lack of food in Guayaquil. But, thank God, I was always very well."

Thanksgiving to the Lord has always been of great significance to Hincapie. On the one hand, he is really grateful for everything he's been able to experience and, on the other, the relationship to God is a mainstay in the life of the football player. 'God is Love' inscribed on his neck, and he has a small cross tattooed behind his right ear. He always says "Gracias a Dios" when he talks about the good things he has recently experienced.

opted for Bayer 04 from many offers

The list is long. With his first professional club Independiente del Valle he won the South American equivalent of the European Youth League beating River Plate from Buenos Aires in the final. That was followed by debuts in Ecuador's top-flight and then with the national team – at the Copa América – as well as the move to Cordoba in the top Argentinian league; and finally the transfer to Leverkusen. The biggest step in his young life to date. And one that has already paid off. "I had different offers from Europe and I considered them all carefully. I spoke to my family, to myself, to God – and I opted for Bayer 04. I have great respect for the country and the language and my family had always emphasised that a lot of Latinos play here – and some of them for many years. That was an important reason. Because if they stay here for a long time then they must feel at home."

He quickly got used to the new environment and his international teammates in spite of the irritating cold. "I immediately felt that this club is very friendly. Everybody treats you well from the chef to the groundsman. In the morning you're welcomed by every member of staff and that's not the case everywhere. I feel like a son of the club." A feeling that made settling in easier – and something he had already appreciated at Independiente.

"Del Valle has one of the best academies in South America. They don't just teach you how to play football but also convey values to you. There are talented youngsters there who have lost their mothers and fathers and the club protects them like sons. That is fundamental for young players – as is the chance to be able to play in the first team early on. Everything is very similar at Leverkusen. That's why I feel really good and it confirmed that Bayer 04 is the perfect club for the move to Europe."

the lad with the unusual name

In just a few months his impressive performances had given his name a seemingly impossible degree of recognition on the other side of the Atlantic. Argentinian media had already predicted this – although they explained that back then with the special way of writing and the 'é' in his family name. The theory: You stand out with that name. "El pibe con el nombre raro" – "the lad with the unusual name" as they welcomed him in Córdoba. Hincapie laughs when his asked about the line. "That's good," he says. And explains: "The accent is unusual and that means a name is pronounced in a completely different way. I like the sound of its and that's why I emphasise the name in that way. But I think the accent is daft on the shirt and that's why it's not on there. So I still haven't fully made up my mind."

After his arrival at Leverkusen, he decided together with Bayer 04 to leave the accent off in the official written description. What is certain is that Piero Martin Hincapie Reyna is proud of his name. The family connection is the most important thing for the player. His older brother moved to Germany with him and his mum always calls "every day with concern." In addition, relations are an important motivation for the intensive work. "I'm suddenly earning much more money for our circumstances. That's not so important to me because I just want to play football. But now I have the chance to help my family. Of course, I allow myself something as well but the most important thing for me is to be able to give something back to my parents and everybody else and that I can ensure that they have a comfortable life. My nanna's income isn't enough to live on. When everybody is looked after then I can also allow myself a couple of expensive things. But he also questions if wealth alone can make you happy: “La felizidad no se compra” – You can't buy happiness.

 

 

What does improve the mood of the talented youngster are sporting triumphs. And it clearly looks like Hincapie is continuing to write his success story in 2022. He has qualified for the World Cup finals with Ecuador and the fulfilment of another big dream beckons with Bayer 04: Games in the Champions League. "My big inspiration is to win titles. And I dreamt of the Champions League as a young boy in Ecuador. I'll do everything I can to be able to make it."

If Bayer 04 qualify for the best club competition in world then Piero Hincapie may meet up with a familiar face who he used to spend many hours with on buses in Ecuador. If it should get that far then Sergio Ramos will remember the name of his one-time fan – with or without an accent on the e.

This article is taken from edition 35 Werkself Magazine that appeared in March 2022. HERE are the free online copies of all previous Werkself Magazines.