Piero Hincapié stars for Arsenal in preseason win and makes Bayer Leverkusen’s 21st‑century ideal XI

Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapié returned to first‑team action with Arsenal, starting the club’s 4‑1 preseason victory over Girona and playing 33 minutes before being substituted as part of the post‑World Cup conditioning plan. The match saw goals from Kai Havertz, Christos Tzolis, Max Dowman and Gabriel Jesus after Girona’s early lead.

Separately, Bayer 04 Leverkusen announced that Hincapié was selected by supporters as one of the six best defenders in the club’s 21st‑century ideal team, joining fellow defenders Jonathan Tah, Lúcio, Edmond Tapsoba, Alejandro Grimaldo and Jens Nowotny. The fan‑voted XI also featured a starting goalkeeper, midfielders and forwards, highlighting Hincapié’s lasting impact from his 2021‑2025 spell with the German side.