Barcelona player and his wife shot dead on street in Ecuador
Mario Pineida (photo: instagram.com/donpine)
Former Ecuador and Barcelona Guayaquil defender Mario Pineida was killed in an armed attack in his hometown, according to the Barcelona club account on X (Twitter).
Circumstances of the tragedy in Guayaquil
The attack on the decorated footballer occurred in the Samanes district in the northern part of Guayaquil.
According to law enforcement authorities and media reports, Pineida was waiting in line at a butcher shop when two unknown individuals on motorcycles approached him. The attackers opened fire with firearms.
As a result of the injuries, the defender died at the scene. The attack also claimed the lives of the player’s close relatives: his wife succumbed to her injuries, and the footballer's mother was hospitalized in critical condition.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ecuador has already involved special police units in the investigation, classifying the incident as a contract killing.
Terrible.!!
— Emergencias Ec (@EmergenciasEc) December 17, 2025
Se confirma la muerte del jugador de Barcelona Mario Pineida en un ataque armado afuera de una carnicería en Samanes 4.
El fútbol ecuatoriano está de luto pic.twitter.com/4rvebawAYO
Mario Pineida's sporting career
Mario Pineida was a prominent figure in local football, spending most of his professional career playing in his home country.
He began his career with Independiente (2010–2015) before moving to one of Ecuador’s most popular clubs, Barcelona SC in Guayaquil. With this team, he won the Ecuadorian championship twice.
The defender also gained experience abroad, playing on loan for Brazil’s Fluminense and Colombia’s Nacional.
For the Ecuador national team, Pineida earned nine official caps and was part of the squad during the World Cup qualifying cycles for 2018 and 2022.
The player’s name appeared on Barcelona SC's squad list as recently as December 7 in a match against Católica, though he did not take the field.
Wave of violence in Ecuadorian football
Pineida’s killing is part of a broader security crisis in Ecuador. Guayaquil has become a hotspot for gang conflicts linked to drug trafficking.
Analysts predict that this year could be the deadliest in the country’s history, with the number of homicides potentially reaching 9,000 cases.
Athletes are increasingly becoming targets for criminals. In recent months alone, multiple attacks on players from various divisions have resulted in injuries and fatalities.
Barcelona SC's press service has officially expressed condolences to Mario Pineida’s family, while the country's football community is demanding decisive government action to tackle organized crime.
— BARCELONA S.C. (@BarcelonaSC) December 17, 2025
Earlier, we reported on how legendary German biathlete Laura Dahlmeier died during a mountain climbing expedition.
