According to police, Jonathan Gonzalez, an Ecuadorian football player, was killed on Friday in what was his third murder in the south American nation since September.
Authorities claimed that the 31-year-old, who was referred to as “Speedy” Gonzalez, was injured in a shooting at a home in Esmeraldas, a province bordering Colombia and where rival drug gangs operate.
A motive for the crime was not provided by the police.
Unidentified second victim passed away while being taken to the hospital.
Also read: Ecuador’s President Calls For Referendum to Allow Foreign Military Bases
On June 3, 2015, a friendly football match between Ecuador’s Jonathan Gonzalez (L) and Panama’s Armando Cooper takes place at the Rommel Fernandez stadium in Panama City. Rodrigo ARANGUA/AFP photo
Colombia and Peru are the two biggest cocaine producers in the world, and Ecuador has become the gateway to 70% of the world’s supply.
The homicide rate increased from six per 100, 000 people in 2018 to a record high of 47 in 2023, before falling to 38 last year as a result of the rise in gangs.
Maicol Valencia and Leandro Yepez, both from the second-division team Exapromo Costa FC, were killed on September 10 during an armed assault in Manta, a coastal city in southwest Portugal.
Valencia was killed in the gunshots, and Yepez was injured two days later.
The players were the target of another attack, according to the club.
Jonathan Gonzalez previously played for Olimpia in Paraguay and Leon in Mexico as a member of the second-division team 22 de Julio FC.
After winning five of the seven disciplines at the world championships in Tokyo on Saturday, three-time Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam’s agent informed AFP.
Her coach, Michael Van Der Plaetsen, later told Belgian media: “It makes no sense for her to continue,” and her representative, Helena Van der Plaetsen, confirmed she would not continue.
After four events, Thiam, 31, was only in sixth place, especially after a subpar 200 meters, but nothing nearly broke Carolina Kluft’s European heptathlon record of 7, 032 points in Tokyo.
After a disappointing long jump, in which she placed 11th with a 5.99m, she dropped another two spots in the rankings on Saturday morning.
After that, a tearful Thiam said, “I think the hardest thing for me is telling myself that I wanted to come here and have fun, and that wasn’t the case at all.”
READ ALSO: Guardiola Desires A Recurrence Of Man City’s “Danger” At Arsenal
Thiam, who has won gold at the last three Olympics, has been at odds with the Belgian athletics federation because she has refused to adhere to its code of conduct.
In the course of her contention, Thiam claimed that the federation had refused to accredit her physiotherapist and that it had not reserved a bedroom for her during the pre-world championships training camp.
Her accusations are false, according to Belgian Athletics.
We have tried to protect her over the past few weeks, according to Michael Van Der Plaetsen, but ultimately it has had a significant impact on her performances. I’m embarrassed for being Belgian.
Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, claimed that his side could not afford to repeat the “under-14s” defense that saw them face a 5-1 defeat by Arsenal in February.
In the race for the title in the Premier League, Guardiola’s men are already trailing the Gunners and defending champions Liverpool on Sunday.
City came out on top with wins over Manchester United and Napoli in the Champions League, but they lost two of their opening three games to Tottenham and Brighton.
INCLUDE Barca Scores First To Seal Win Over Newcastle
On August 31, 2025, during Liverpool vs. Arsenal in the English Premier League at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west England, the Spanish manager Mikel Arteta gestures on the touchline. (Photo by Darren Staples/AFP)
One of Guardiola’s worst campaigns was the one that saw him lose to his former protege Mikel Arteta.
City finished third, trailing only Liverpool and Arsenal, in the first place since 2017 when it failed to win a trophy.
When asked about his most recent trip to the Emirates, Guardiola said, “We started like many times last season, like an under-14s team, and gave away a thousand million goals.
In comparison to last season, the last 15-20 minutes were a disaster, but the majority of the time after we were good.
It was simple for Arsenal because we forgot what we had to do. I want to compete to improve our team from last year. ”
On February 2, 2025, Arsenal’s English midfielder #49 Myles Lewis-Skelly (C) makes a ball-running play at the Emirates Stadium in London. (Glyn KIRK/AFP photo)
In the quest for Premier League dominance, Guardiola took aim at those who claimed his six titles, which he had won since arriving in England, were due to the budget at his disposal, while Liverpool and Arsenal both blew it in the transfer window.
The only thing I want to tell my friend Mikel Arteta is that if he wins, it will be simply because he spent money, not because he worked hard or with his players, Guardiola sarcastically.
It resembles Liverpool, too. Arne (Slot) will win it again because, you see, he spent a lot of money, right? Given that not just Man City does (spend), is that correct? ”
Arteta left in 2019 to take over as Guardiola’s assistant, and she has slowly transformed Arsenal into a force that can win numerous awards.
After finishing second in the Premier League for the third consecutive year, he has only recently won one piece of silverware, the 2020 FA Cup.
On October 17, 2020, Manchester City and Manchester City play at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north-west England, with the help of Spanish managers Pep Guardiola (L) and Mikel Arteta (L) as they watch the English Premier League game. (Photo by Alex Livesey/POOL/AFP)
Guardiola continued, “Arsenal is getting better. He found the club in a (certain) way and step-by-step, window by window.”
They made an incredible step forward last season in Europe, and they are now the most reliable team. In the back, they don’t make mistakes. ”
City is three points clear of Arsenal and six points clear of Liverpool as the weekend draws to a close.
Guardiola’s side’s Champions League opener was played 48 hours after Arsenal, who won 2-0 at Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday, making the challenge even more difficult.
Guardiola said it might be challenging for Rodri to start three games in eight days after suffering a serious knee injury, but he did not want to be drawn into the scheduling debate.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, a two-time Olympic champion and world record holder, opted to skip the 400-meter hurdles event, which Kemke Bol did on Friday.
In Tokyo, Dutchwoman Bol came home in 51.54 sec, ahead of Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalova and American Jasmine Jones.
Bol, who finished their incredible sixth Diamond League campaign unbeaten, came to an end to another successful season.
McLaughlin-Levrone, who chose not to compete in Tokyo’s hurdles so she could concentrate on the 400-meter flat race, made the event notable.
The American won the final on Thursday for the second time ever, clocking in at the second-fastest ever.
Bol was considering only claiming her second world title when the crowd was disappointed by the McLaughlin-Levrone-shaped hole in the hurdles final line-up.
She didn’t need to defeat McLaughlin-Levrone, who missed the competition due to injury, for her second, which was held in Budapest two years ago.
Bol and Dalilah Muhammad, both from America, competed in Tokyo with Anna Cockrell and Dalilah Muhammad.
Amusan Wins Silver In 100m Hurdles At Tokyo World Championships, Read More
Cockrell finished second behind McLaughlin-Levrone for the bronze medalist Bol in Paris last year.
At the age of 35, Muhammad, the 2016 Olympic champion, was hoping for a happy ending.
Bol was given the most difficult challenge by Jones, who completed the roundabout just outside the Dutchwoman.
Bol made her legs work the distance, and Jones took silver in 52.03 seconds, breaking her personal best.
Zapletalova broke the 53.01 national record for medals.
According to an AFP report, Argentinian officials on Thursday seized the assets of two of the player’s sisters, his attorney, and three other people, alleging fraudulent management of the player’s brand.
Matias Morla, Maradona’s former attorney, and two of his associates have been charged with fraud in Buenos Aires in a court filing.
Rita and Claudia, the sisters of the Argentine players, and a notary were also charged as compliciters in the case.
READ MORE: The Maradona Death Trial’s Future Is Doubt As A Scandal-Hit Judge Steps Down.
The court ordered the accused’s entire families to forfeit $ 1.34 million (2 billion pesos).
Maradona’s children claimed that when he passed away in 2020 at the age of 60, his brand and its subsidiaries should have been transferred to them.
Maradona continued to have control over his assets until he passed away, according to the court, who claims Morla’s brand management company was merely a front.
According to the ruling, the assets “immediately revert to his heirs” in those circumstances.
In 2021, two of Maradona’s daughters, Dalma and Giannina, first filed charges against Morla and other defendants.
The football player’s three other children have since filed a lawsuit.
Maradona underwent brain surgery, and she passed away.
Two weeks after being exposed to the knife, it was discovered that he had died of heart failure and acute pulmonary embolism (a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs).
Another case is awaiting retrial after a judge was required to recuse herself for her involvement in a covert documentary in order to determine whether his death was caused by medical negligence. After two months of hearings, that trial was adjourned in May.
The England international’s brilliant brace gave Barcelona a 2-1 victory over Newcastle in the Champions League on Thursday, with Marcus Rashford scoring his first goals for the club.
Following his loan spell with Manchester United in July, Rashford made a memorable return to England with two goals in nine minutes at St James’ Park.
Fans of United, whose team hasn’t played any European football this season and is already struggling with a poor Premier League campaign, will be disappointed watching the 27-year-old’s first Champions League goals since 2021.
In the final stages of their Champions League group stage opener, Anthony Gordon scored one point for Newcastle before it was too late.
On September 18, 2025, during the UEFA Champions League first round football match between Newcastle United FC and FC Barcelona, British forward #14 Marcus Rashford (C) celebrates with teammates at St James’ Park in London. (Photo by Oli SCARFF/AFP)
Rashford and Ruben Amorim had a bad relationship last season, so he was let go by United and sent on loan to Aston Villa during the second half before being sent to Barcelona for the entire season.
Rashford’s career has slowed significantly in recent years because of claims he is no longer focused on his career, and he was once feted as the future of English football after graduating from United’s youth academy as a youngster.
Read more about Haaland’s 50 Champions League goals as Man City cruise over Napoli.
However, Rashford’s energetic performance on Tyneside suggested that he might be about to start the long-awaited renaissance with Barcelona.
It was Rashford’s seventh career goal against the Magpies, a habit he has frequently made of tormenting Newcastle.
Lamine Yamal, who had a groin injury that prevented Barcelona from winning the La Liga game 6-0 against Valencia, was out for the team after a strong start to his campaign.
However, Rashford’s double made sure Hansi Flick’s team didn’t miss Yamal.
Barcelona reached the final since they last won the trophy in 2015 after being defeated by Inter Milan in the semi-finals of last year’s Champions League.
However, the five-time European champions are anticipated to be among the top contenders this year, so this was a strong start to their challenge.
Newcastle’s hopes of a strong start in the Champions League were dashed by the defeat, which had them lose in the 2023-24 group stage.
Rashford Dazzles  ,
On September 18, 2025, Barcelona’s British forward #14 Marcus Rashford controls the ball during the first-round UEFA Champions League game between Newcastle United FC and FC Barcelona at St James’ Park in London. (Photo by Oli SCARFF/AFP)
When Newcastle defeated Barcelona 3-2 in the Champions League group stage in September 1997, Faustino Asprilla scored the winner with one of the best nights in their history.
Asprilla flew in from Colombia to watch Newcastle’s first game against Barcelona since 2003, almost 28 years after that remarkable evening at St James’ Park.
Rashford snuck into the area before striking into the side-netting to give Barcelona’s first glimpse of danger as a foreshadowing his powerful display.
Anthony Elanga’s pace caused Barcelona’s defense for the majority of the first half, when he headed a fierce cross past Harvey Barnes for a deft finish that Joan Garcia palmed away.
On September 18, 2025, in a game between Newcastle United FC and FC Barcelona in the first round of the UEFA Champions League, Brazilian forward #11 Raphinha tries to score in St James’ Park in London. (Photo by Oli SCARFF/AFP)
Fabian Schar and Dan Burn threw themselves into last-ditch blocks to keep the Pole at bay as Robert Lewandowski attempted to lift Barcelona out of their agony.
Joelinton, a Newcastle midfielder, rose to meet a corner and fired a good-looking shot wide from six yards early in the second half.
Barcelona took the lead in the 58th minute despite that flimsy escape, but they were much more effective after the break.
Rashford was quickly eluded as he whipped his powerful header past Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope from 12 yards before Rashford could only get his shot in the area.
In stunning fashion, Rashford doubled Barcelona’s lead in the 67th minute.
Rashford unleashed a fierce strike that left Pope grasping in the air as it flashed into the top corner 25 yards from goal after passing Sandro Tonali.
