Caicedo Considers Retirement After Teammate’s Murder

Ecuadorian striker Felipe Caicedo admitted that he may abandon professional football, shaken by the recent murder of his teammate and friend Mario Pineida.

In a statement to journalists this Tuesday, Caicedo, who turned 37 on september 5th, revealed the profound impact that Pineida’s death had on his decision. The incident occurs in a season in which the player has accumulated few minutes in the Barcelona SC first team.

Pineida,31,was shot and killed in Guayaquil on September 13th,amidst a wave of violence linked to drug trafficking in Ecuador. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/ecuador-striker-pineida-killed-in-guayaquil-2023-09-14/

“It’s very hard, very hard. I’m thinking about retiring,” Caicedo saeid, according to El Universo. https://www.eluniverso.com/deportes/futbol/felipe-caicedo-considera-el-retiro-despues-del-asesinato-de-mario-pineida-EC5999911 “Mario was a brother to me. This has affected me a lot.”

Caicedo has had a long and triumphant career, playing for clubs in Europe and South America, including Manchester City, Lokomotiv Moscow, and Inter Milan. He has also been a regular member of the Ecuadorian national team, earning over 70 caps.

the tragedy has prompted discussions about the safety of footballers in Ecuador, with calls for increased security measures. https://www.espn.com/soccer/ecuadorian-liga-pro/story/4785999/ecuador-soccer-player-mario-pineida-killed-in-guayaquil