Brutal murder leaves ex-Sporting striker considering quitting football | OneFootball

The South American football world is experiencing moments of profound sadness after the brutal murder of former Ecuadorian international Mario Pineida, who was shot dead in Guayaquil in an attack. The news shook colleagues, opponents, and fans, raising serious questions about the safety of footballers in that country.

Among those most affected is forward Felipe Caicedo, a former Sporting player and Pineida's teammate at Barcelona (Ecuador), who expressed deep shock over the tragedy. Asked about his future, Caicedo was clear: “I will most likely retire. I haven't thought about continuing, what happened to Mario affected me a lot and I don't want to know anything about football,” the striker confessed to the local press.

The 37-year-old player also recalled that his decision to sign for Barcelona was not made thoughtfully: “When I decided to come, it was on impulse, with my heart, not with my head,” he said, leaving his future in professional football in suspense.

Felipe Caicedo has played for clubs such as Manchester City, Sporting, Espanyol, Lokomotiv, Lazio, Inter Milan, standing out for his physical presence. An international for Ecuador on 68 occasions, he returned to South American football, where he scored three goals in 20 games for Barcelona.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.