Piero Hincapie got sent off as Ecuador lost 2-0 to Mexico in the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday. (Pics: Getty, Dubs408/X, EdgarBased/X)
Piero Hincapie got sent off as Ecuador lost 2-0 to Mexico in the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday. (Pics: Getty, Dubs408/X, EdgarBased/X)
Arsenal fans reacted as Piero Hincapie got sent off in Ecuador's 2-0 defeat to 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosts Mexico in the Round of 32 on Tuesday (June 30) in Mexico City.
First-half goals from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez were enough for El Tri to book their berth in the Round of 16, with Hincapie getting sent off in the 95th minute for covering his mouth while talking to an opponent.
The Gunners defender was seen covering his mouth while speaking with Mexico striker Santi Gimenez, with a VAR review confirming Hincapie's red card as Ecuador's campaign came to a disappointing end, incensing fans:
"Hincapie with genuinely one of the worst World Cups for a high profile defender we have ever seen. He’s been god awful the entire tournament," one tweeted.
"Hincapie been stinking it up all night and caps it off with the most meaningless red card," another commented.
"Hincapie is a THUG. Arsenal NEED to SELL HIM," one wrote.
"Yeah I can’t lie Hincapie you’ll have to hold smoke, you’re my boy but this was the cherry on top of a meady WC campaign," one tweeted.
"Hincapie I can't defend this til club football starts," another commented.
Hincapie, 24, scored once and assisted twice in 25 games last season as the Gunners won their first Premier League title since 2004.
How did Piero Hincapie fare for Ecuador at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Ecuador vs Germany: Group E - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Source: Getty
Ecuador vs Germany: Group E - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Source: Getty
Piero Hincapie played all four games for Ecuador at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where their campaign came to end with a two-goal defeat to co-hosts Mexico in the Round of 32 on Tuesday night.
Playing their first knockout match in the competition in two decades since a 1-0 defeat to England, La Tri remain without a goal in World Cup knockouts following their defeat to Mexico.
Hincapie, 24, played the full 90 minutes as Ecuador lost 1-0 to Cote d'Ivoire in their campaign opener and drew goalless with Curacao. He came off in the 71st minute as La Tri beat group winners Germany 2-1 to qualify for the knockouts for only the second time.
Against Mexico, Hincapie nearly played the entire match before he was sent off deep in stoppage time for covering his mouth while talking to an opponent.