In Ecuador, with the country plunged into anarchy, gangs are sparing no one, not even footballers. Recently, local media reported that Mario Pineida, a Barcelona SC footballer, was the victim of an assassination attempt. The Ecuadorian footballer was shot dead in the port city of Guayaquil on Wednesday. His club, Barcelona SC, announced the death in a post on the social media platform X.
The club writes that "It is with deep regret that we officially announce the death of our player Mario Pineida, an event that occurred following an attack against him." in Guayaquil.
Pineida, 33, was part of the national team of Ecuador during the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments. He also played for Brazilian club Fluminense in 2022.
The Interior Ministry confirmed his death and assigned a special police unit to investigate the case. Pineida was attacked by two men on motorcycles who opened fire on him, his mother and another woman.
