Ezequiel Cirigliano, 34, is accused of snatching a police officer’s gun and fleeing in Argentina. The former River Plate footballer was arrested at home and the weapon was recovered.
Former River Plate star Ezequiel Cirigliano has been arrested after allegedly snatching a firearm from a female police officer in Argentina. The 34-year-old footballer is accused of wrestling the service pistol away from the officer in the street before fleeing the scene with the weapon.
The altercation occurred on Thursday, 24 September, in the town of Villa Pineral, situated in Buenos Aires Province. According to local reports, the midfielder was returning home from work when he approached a Local Prevention Police Unit post and became involved in a violent struggle with the officer.
Authorities stated that he managed to disarm the policewoman and ran off. Officers from the local precinct later tracked Cirigliano to his home, where they recovered the weapon and arrested him. He is currently being detained on suspicion of robbery and assaulting an officer, with a police report noting a battle with severe drug issues in his case file.
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Cirigliano rose through the youth ranks at River Plate, making 61 senior appearances for the Argentine giants, where he played alongside ex-Arsenal and Chelsea star Jorginho. A highly rated young prospect, he captained the side on occasion and played a key role in helping them secure promotion back to the top flight.
Subsequent moves saw him embark on loan spells with Hellas Verona in Italy and Major League Soccer side FC Dallas, alongside stints with Tigre, Atlético Tucumán, and Mexican club Zacatepec. Most recently, he featured 11 times for Filipino club Stallion Laguna before departing in August 2024, leaving him without a club.
The incident marks another troubled chapter for the former prodigy, who was previously arrested in the Caseros area in August 2022 after allegedly breaking into a property and discharging a firearm. On that occasion, police recovered a 9mm pistol loaded with 11 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber.
Cirigliano was released after spending roughly two months in custody when an appeals court ruled there was insufficient evidence against him.
Following his earlier arrest, his mother, Flavia, publicly defended him, stating that he had lived with clinical depression for more than a decade and warning that he would not survive if kept behind bars. A date for his court appearance is yet to be confirmed as investigations continue.