Ecuador defender Mario Pineida has died at the age of 33 after being shot in Guayaquil. Local media reported that Pineida was shot on Wednesday by two people on motorbikes who opened fire on him, his mother and another woman outside a shop in the north of the city. Ecuador's interior ministry stated it has dispatched a special police unit to investigate the murder. Guayaquil has become a hotspot for gang violence and drug trafficking, recording 1,900 murders between January and September—the highest in Ecuador. Earlier this year, three second-tier footballers were killed in September, and a local player was injured in a shooting in October. Pineida won nine caps for Ecuador between 2014 and 2021. He launched his club career at Independiente DV before moving to Barcelona SC in Guayaquil in 2016, with loan spells at Fluminese and El Nacional. The football community mourns Pineida’s loss, with clubs like Independiente and Fluminese paying tribute on social media, and Barcelona SC expressing deep dismay over the shocking news. The Ecuadorian Football Federation condemned the ongoing violence and extended condolences to Pineida's family.}
Tragic Loss: Ecuador Footballer Mario Pineida Shot Dead
Tragic Loss: Ecuador Footballer Mario Pineida Shot Dead
Mario Pineida, a 33-year-old Ecuadorian defender, has tragically lost his life after being shot in Guayaquil. Known for his exemplary career with Barcelona SC, Pineida's death raises concerns over escalating violence in Ecuador.
Mario Pineida, a well-known Ecuadorian footballer, was shot and killed in Guayaquil at the age of 33. The incident occurred outside a shop as Pineida was accompanied by his mother and another woman. Local investigations point to an alarming rise in gang violence in the city, where the murder rate has surged in recent months. Tributes have poured in from various football clubs and the Ecuadorian Football Federation, condemning the violence that led to Pineida's death.
