GUAYAQUIL: Ecuadorean footballer Mario Pineida was shot and killed in the port city of Guayaquil on Wednesday, his club has confirmed.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Barcelona SC said it was “deeply saddened” to confirm the death of its player following an armed attack in Guayaquil.
“We regret to inform, with deep sorrow, that we have been officially notified of the death of our player Mario Pineida, an event that occurred following an attack against him,” the club said.
Pineida, 33, had represented Ecuador’s national team during the 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualifiers, though he was not selected for the squad that played in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He had also played for Brazilian club Fluminense in 2022.
The Ecuadorian Interior Ministry confirmed Pineida’s death and said a special police unit has been assigned to investigate the case.
According to local digital outlet Primicias, Pineida was attacked by two assailants on motorcycles, who opened fire on him, his mother, and another woman. Further details on the condition of the other victims were not immediately available.
Guayaquil has become a hotspot for gang-related violence linked to drug trafficking, with several footballers targeted in recent months. In September, three players from Ecuador’s second division were killed, one of whom was allegedly linked to sports betting. A month later, local footballer Bryan Angula was injured in a shooting.
Ecuador, once considered one of Latin America’s safest countries, has increasingly become a major cocaine transit hub between top producers Colombia and Peru and international markets.
Violent crimes including car bombings, shootings, and extortion have surged in Guayaquil, which recorded around 1,900 murders between January and September, the highest number in the country during that period.
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