Local media reported the player, who was 33 years old, died in a gun attack outside a shop in the north of Guayaquil.

"Barcelona Sporting Club, informs, with deep regret, that it has been officially notified of the death of our player Mario Pineida, a fact that occurred after an attack against him," the club said on social media.

"This unfortunate news makes all of us who are part of the institution deeply dismayed...," it added.

Ecuadorean police said they were investigating the incident and did not give details of the attack.

Pineida, who also had a spell playing at Fluminense in Brazil, made nine appearances for Ecuador between 2015 and 2021.