In brief
Mario Pineida, a 33-year-old Ecuadorian defender, was fatally shot in Guayaquil by assailants on motorbikes. His tragic death highlights the escalating gang violence in Ecuador, with Guayaquil recording the highest murder rates in the country. Tributes pour in from football clubs and the Ecuadorian Football Federation, emphasizing the need for action against such violence.
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 incident.Guayaquil has become a hotspot for gang violence and drug trafficking, with 1,900 murders recorded between January and September, marking the highest rate in Ecuador. This latest incident follows the killings of three second-tier footballers in September and another local player who was wounded in October.Pineida won nine caps for Ecuador between 2014 and 2021. He began his club career at Independiente DV before moving to Barcelona SC in Guayaquil in 2016, also spending time on loan at Fluminense and El Nacional.Clubs such as Independiente DV and Fluminense have paid tribute to Pineida on social media, and Barcelona SC expressed deep dismay over this unfortunate news. The Ecuadorian Football Federation has condemned the violence and extended condolences to Pineida's family.
