A former Chile and Hearts striker has revealed he is battling skin cancer.
Mauricio Pinilla shared the news on Chilean radio on Wednesday (11 Feb), just days after receiving the diagnosis.
The 42-year-old said: “I want to share an important moment in my life that I’m going through.
READ MORE: Injured veteran slammed for parking in disabled bay with luxury car hits back at trolls
“They found I had prostatitis, I ended up in the clinic, and they ran a lot of tests because of some spots that appeared on my skin – and that’s when they found skin cancer.
“I hadn’t told anyone this before.”
Pinilla, who played at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, explained that, fortunately, the cancer was caught early and he has already started treatment.
The father-of-three believes his football career may have contributed to the disease.
“It’s just the first stage, so they need to remove these spots, and it should be resolved fairly quickly,” he added.
“I’m on treatment, doing the necessary therapy to get it sorted. But, well, a lot of sun exposure and the training definitely played a part.”
Born in Santiago, Pinilla scored twice in eight appearances for Hearts between 2006 and 2007, as reported by Need To Know.
He began his career at Universidad de Chile and went on to play in several countries, mainly in Italy, including 67 appearances for Cagliari between 2012 and 2014.
He also played for Palermo, Atalanta, and Sporting CP, among others.
Pinilla also spoke about a recent health crisis that saw him hospitalised for several days.
“It was really rough. I spent four days in the clinic,” he recalled.
“Imagine – my immune system was all over the place, I got the flu four times in four weeks, and one of those infections became a double infection, like having the flu twice.
“I had a fever of 41°C, I arrived at the clinic delirious, and I don’t even remember how I got in.”
The former Chile international scored eight goals in 45 appearances for his country between 2003 and 2016.
In addition to the 2014 World Cup, he represented Chile at the 2015 Copa América and the 2016 Copa América Centenario – winning both tournaments.
Last year, Pinilla rekindled his relationship with his children’s mother, Gissella Gallardo, after separating nearly three years earlier.
He remains optimistic about his prognosis and is prioritising his mental health after recent struggles.
“Nowadays, I feel great, but I still get the occasional panic attack that I have to manage with medication.
“The anxiolytics have really helped me get through these difficult moments. I continue seeing a psychologist and a psychiatrist, and I take care of myself,” he said.
READ MORE: Base jumper leaps from rooftop bar on 41st floor as staff beg him to stop
