Ana Beatriz Pereira Frade was shot dead on Saturday by an armed gang

The World Cup-winner said tourists would be 'putting their lives at risk'

He urged sports-lovers to stay away from the Olympic Games this summer

Retired football star Rivaldo has urged tourists to stay away from this summer's Rio Olympics for their own safety

Retired football star Rivaldo has urged tourists to stay away from this summer's Rio Olympics for their own safety.

The ex Barcelona striker, capped 74 times for his country, warned his followers on Instagram: 'I urge all of you who are planning on visiting Brazil or coming for the Olympic Games this summer to stay in your countries. You are putting your life at risk here.'

Rivaldo, regarded as one of the most skillful and creative players of his generation, sounded his warning after the death of a 17-year-old who was murdered in Rio at the weekend.

Ana Beatriz Pereira Frade was shot on Saturday morning by an armed gang on a main road known as the Yellow Line road connecting the city's international airport with most of the Olympic venues.

Local reports said she was killed during a botched robbery after eight men surrounded the car she was travelling in with her family.

She was heading to the airport with her stepdad and other relatives to surprise her mum who was returning from a trip away.

Her stepdad tried to drive through a makeshift blockade the armed bandits set up.

A baby was on the back seat along with tragic Ana when she was hit by a single bullet fired by one of the men.

Rivaldo, 44, who currently lives with his family in the States, printed a picture of the dead teenager along his hard-hitting message which started: 'This morning in Rio bandits killed this girl aged 17.

'Things are getting worse all the time in Brazil.'

Urging foreigners to stay away from his country or risk death, he added: 'Only God can change the situation in Brazil.'

He won the support of some of his 405.000 followers and had already received more than 3,000 likes by this morning.

One said: 'Well done Rivaldo for speaking the truth.'

Another added: 'Hard-hitting words but true. Rio has been totally abandoned. Save yourselves if you can. We're just waiting our turn to be robbed or receive a bullet to the head.'

Rivaldo, regarded as one of the most skillful and creative players of his generation, sounded his warning after the death of 17-year-old Ana Beatriz Pereira Frade (pictured) who was murdered in Rio at the weekend

Rivaldo (pictured), regarded as one of the most skillful and creative players of his generation, sounded his warning after the death of a 17-year-old who was murdered in Rio at the weekend

The Rio Olympics are due to kick off on August 5 and last till August 21. The Paralympics will follow from September 7 to 18.

Earlier this year shocking images were published in Brazil showing broad-daylight street muggings on a city centre street in Rio by an army of child criminals.

The violent phone and jewellery snatches were filmed by a local businessman who tired of hearing cries for help from mugging victims, placed a camera in his office window on the corner of Avenida Rio Branco - one of the city's main arteries - and Avenida Nilo Pecanha.

The footage - recorded between mid-December and January 4 - was passed to local news station RJTV which broadcast it to try to shame city police into taking more action.

In one incident a youngster dressed in sandals and shorts pushed a tourist to the ground when he tries to resist before yanking his gold chain from his neck.

A bare-chested child failed in his bid to rob another middle-aged man in another - before returning with a pint-sized accomplice seconds later to make sure he got what he wanted.

The ex-Barcelona striker, capped 74 times for his country, warned his followers on Instagram: 'I urge all of you who are planning on visiting Brazil or coming for the Olympic Games this summer to stay in your countries'

Ana Beatriz Pereira Frade was shot on Saturday morning by an armed gang on a main road known as the Yellow Line road connecting the city's international airport with most of the Olympic venues

World Cup winner Rivaldo (left kissing the World Cup trophy with Ronaldo) printed a picture of the dead teenager along his hard-hitting message which started: 'This morning in Rio bandits killed this girl aged 17'

A teenager in flip-flops was filmed snatching a mobile from the hands of a passenger on a bus after spotting her sitting by an open window and leaping up the side of the vehicle - although bizarrely he returned the phone to her when it fell from his grasp and broke on the road.

Another youngster used a bike to draw up alongside a victim before accelerating away with her necklace.

Official figures show Rio de Janeiro, home to nearly six million people, registered 1,202 murders last year.

The city's crime problems have received more attention since it was chosen to host the 2016 Olympics.

Ana Beatriz had just reached Rio from her home in Guarapari in the state of Espirito Santo when she was shot.