The world of football is shocked by the death of the Barcelona player from Ecuador, Mario Pineida. The 33-year-old left back was the victim of a murder in an attack that occurred this Wednesday, according to information provided by his club in a region centered on the focus of violence due to drug trafficking, the international agency explained. AFP.
The defender was in his second cycle in The Idol of the Shipyard since 2023, when it arrived from Fluminense from Brazil and was on loan in The National of Ecuador during the last semester of 2024. His time through Barcelona SC It included 3 goals and 10 assists in 224 games, in addition to being crowned local champion twice.
“Barcelona Sporting Club informs, with deep regret, that has been officially notified about the death of our player Mario Pinedaan event that occurred after an attack against him. This unfortunate news keeps all of us who are part of the institution deeply shocked, and mourns us as a Barcelona family,” the institution said in a statement.
He wore the Ecuador national team shirt eight times with one assist. He added minutes in friendlies, in the 2018 Russia World Cup Qualifiers and in a 2021 Copa América match against Brazil.
As for 2025, Pineida began the season as a starter and wore the captain’s ribbon, but in the second part of the year He did not play the last 23 League games between the Regular Phase and Hexagonal. In that period, he was on the bench 19 times, was not called up in two games and was suspended in two other games. The campaign ended with Bullfighter as runner-up, behind the champion Valley Independentand achieved qualification to the group stage of the Copa Libertadores 2026.
In addition, he participated in the current edition of the continental competition. He started as a starter in the Phase II ante The Nationalbut he was expelled 10 minutes into the rematch and was never taken into account again. His teammates eliminated Corinthians in it Repechage and was a substitute in five of the six duels corresponding to the Group Bwhere he competed with River Plate, Valley Independent y University. He was on the bench during the 0-0 draw against Millionaire in Núñez and was not called up for the second match with a 3-2 defeat at home. They finished last in their zone and their coach, Second Castlelost three more games before leaving office. Nowadays, Ismael Rescalvo He has the reins of the professional team.
He integrated two historic campaigns of The Idol of the Shipyard. Reached the semi-finals of the Libertadores in 2017 during its first cycle, which lasted from 2016 until 2021. Precisely, that last calendar also arrived among the four best in America, but Guild y Flemish They left him eliminated, respectively.
Mario Pineida had a passage through the training categories of the Brasilia Sports Club from Ecuador and developed a career almost entirely on local soil. played in Panama SC, Valley Independent, Barcelona SC y The Nationalwith the addition of having joined Brazilian football during 2022 to be a footballer of the Fluminense.
In fact, the Tricolor He also echoed his death on his social networks: “The Fluminense Fútbol Club received with deep regret the news of the death of Mario Pineida, an athlete who played for the club in 2022. Pineida arrived at Fluminense at the beginning of the season in which we were crowned champions of Rio de Janeiro. “El Fluminense expresses its solidarity with his family and friends.”
At the local level, the Quito University Sports League e Valley Independent They stood out among the displays of pain. The first entity communicated: “We express our deepest regret for the death of Mario Pineida. We extend our most sincere condolences to his loved ones and to Barcelona SC in this time of pain. May Mario rest in peace“On the other hand, the local champion wrote: “The family of Independiente del Valle expresses its note of regret at the sensitive death of Mario Pineida, former player of our quarry, much strength and peace to his family”.
According to the emergency system report ECU-911which the Ecuadorian portal accessed Expressthe event took place at 15:53 (local time), when Pineida He was shopping in the company of two women, one of whom also died at the scene. “While they remained in the premises, armed individuals who were allegedly following them opened fire on them”they stated.
To our partners and fans:
Barcelona Sporting Club informs, with deep regret, that it has been officially notified of the death of our player Mario Pineda, an event that occurred after an attack against him.
This unfortunate news keeps all of us who are part of the institution deeply shocked, and mourns us as a Barcelona family.
In the next few hours we will inform in a timely manner about the events that will be carried out in his memory. For now, we ask our partners, fans and the public to raise a prayer for the repose of his soul and for strength for his entire family in this time of immense pain.
