Ecuadorian soccer is once again in mourning following the fatal shooting of Barcelona Sporting Club player Mario Pineida on Wednesday in Guayaquil. The 33-year-old defender’s death is the latest in a string of violent attacks targeting athletes in the country, occurring amidst a declared state of “internal armed conflict” as the goverment battles escalating gang violence [[2]]. Police are investigating the incident, which took place as Pineida prepared for his team’s final match of the year.
Barcelona Sporting Club player Mario Pineida was tragically killed Wednesday afternoon, December 17, 2025, in a shooting in Guayaquil, Ecuador, the country’s most populous and violence-ridden city, according to the Ministry of Interior and the club.
“Barcelona Sporting Club informs with profound sadness that we have been officially notified of the passing of our player Mario Pineida, following an attack against him,” the club stated in a release.
The club described the news as “deeply distressing” and said it “mourns as a Barcelona family.”
Barcelona indicated that details regarding memorial events will be announced in the coming hours. “We ask our members, fans, and the public to offer a prayer for the repose of his soul and strength for his family during this time of intense pain,” the club added.
Police responded to the scene outside a commercial establishment in the Samanes 4 neighborhood of northern Guayaquil to begin an investigation.
Pineida, 33, was born in Santo Domingo de Los Tsáchilas, Ecuador, and represented his country at various youth levels, from Under-15 through the senior national team.
He began his professional career with Independiente del Valle in 2010, playing as a right or left back until 2015.
A Key Figure for the Club
Pineida joined Barcelona in 2016 and quickly became a standout player. He later moved to Fluminense of Brazil in 2022.
He also played for El Nacional of Quito in 2024 before returning to Barcelona, where he was training in preparation for the team’s final match of the year against Independiente del Valle this Sunday.
At least four attacks targeting professional soccer players have been reported in Ecuador this year, including the September 19th murder of Jonathan ‘Speedy’ González, a midfielder for 22 de Julio, a second-division club, in the province of Esmeraldas, which borders Colombia.
Ecuador has been under a state of “internal armed conflict” since 2024, declared by President Daniel Noboa, as the government intensifies its fight against criminal gangs blamed for the country’s escalating violence in recent years.
The situation has worsened in 2025, with an average of one murder occurring per hour.
mg (efe, Primicias)
