Former Chilean forward Mauricio Pinilla, 42, revealed that he has been diagnosed with early-stage skin cancer. The ex-player, who represented Sporting in Portugal from 2004 to 2005, has already begun treatment and was hospitalized for four days. The news was shared by Pinilla himself, currently a sports commentator, during an interview with the radio station La Metro. The former Chilean international explained that the diagnosis came after he was hospitalized due to prostatitis. "They did several tests because of some spots that appeared on my skin and detected skin cancer," he reported. The former striker, who ended his career in 2021, detailed the clinical process. "I spent four days in the clinic where they did all the tests. Imagine, my white blood cell count shot up," he stated, adding details about the treatment: "This is just the first part; these spots need to be burned and should disappear soon. I am undergoing treatment, yes, I am doing the appropriate therapy to resolve this." The ex-athlete attributed the condition to "a lot of sun exposure and training" throughout his career. In addition to his brief stint at the Alvalade club, where he scored seven goals in 28 matches, Mauricio Pinilla is remembered by many for hitting the crossbar against Brazil in the dying minutes of extra time during the Round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup, a moment that could have eliminated the host nation. In that tournament, the forward, then a substitute used by Jorge Sampaoli, participated in three matches without scoring. For the Chilean national team, Pinilla became a two-time Copa América champion in 2015 and 2016, accumulating a total of 43 caps and eight goals. His club career, besides his time at Sporting, includes teams such as Universidad de Chile, Chievo, Celta de Vigo, Racing Santander, Palermo, Cagliari, Genoa, Atalanta, Vasco da Gama, and Coquimbo Unido, where he hung up his boots.
Cancer Former Chilean Mauricio Pinilla remains central to this story.
Cancer Former Chilean Mauricio Pinilla remains central to this story.
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