Gonzalo “Gonzalito” Pieres Jr. is an Argentine polo player born December 22, 1983, currently rated 9-goal (formerly 10), with Argentine Open, Hurlingham Open, and Tortugas Open titles across a career spanning more than two decades. He carries one of the heaviest names in polo: his father, Gonzalo Pieres Sr., was a legendary figure in Argentine polo; his brother Facundo is a 10-goal player and former world number one; his other brother Nicolas has also competed at the highest level. The Pieres dynasty is one of the defining family stories in the sport, and Gonzalito’s role within it is less flashy than his brother’s but no less essential.
Where Facundo is the attacker, Gonzalito is the structure. His playing style is characterised by strong defensive positioning and the ability to transition from defence to attack with clean, efficient passing. His experience at the 10-goal level, even as his rating has adjusted to 9, means he reads the game at the highest tier. What handicap numbers do not capture is the tactical intelligence that comes from over 20 years of 40-goal polo. Gonzalito sees patterns before they develop and positions himself to disrupt or exploit them.
For the 2026 Argentine Triple Crown, Gonzalito plays for Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufu at a 36-goal total alongside Facundo, Antonio Heguy (9-goal), and Cruz Heguy (9-goal). The Pieres brothers form the core of an Ellerstina team that carries decades of institutional rivalry with La Dolfina and its successors. They compete in the Hurlingham Open at the Hurlingham Club, the Tortugas Open at Tortugas Country Club, and the Argentine Open at the Campo Argentino de Polo in Buenos Aires.
At 42 in 2026, Gonzalito brings the kind of experience that only a career spent at polo’s summit can produce. The Pieres family contribution to the sport extends across generations: Gonzalo Sr. dominated in his era, Gonzalito and Facundo have carried the name at the 40-goal level, and the family’s polo programme continues to produce horses and players at the highest standard. His continued presence in the Ellerstina lineup anchors a team that has been among the top competitors in Argentine polo for over a decade, providing the tactical foundation that allows Facundo’s attacking brilliance to flourish.