Italian soccer legend, Roberto Baggio, was brutally assaulted by armed intruders who stormed his home, leading to his immediate hospitalization.
Reports revealed that during the Euro 2024 final match between Italy and Spain, the assailants held Baggio’s family hostage, causing them immense distress and fear.
According to the Daily Mail Sports, Baggio, 57, was at his residence in Altavilla Vicentina, a quaint town in northern Italy, approximately an hour’s drive from Venice, when a group of five intruders broke in around 10 pm local time on Thursday night.
Italy suffered a defeat to Spain, with Spain scoring the solitary goal.
As Baggio, who is famously known as Il Divin Codino (The Divine Ponytail), attempted to fend off the attackers, he was struck on the head by a bullet before he and his family were confined to a room.
Looting
The intruders looted watches, jewellery, and cash from the secluded property where Baggio and his family have resided for the past 15 years.
The true value of the stolen items, which included precious watches, jewellery, and a substantial amount of cash, remains undisclosed. The burglary, a brazen act of crime, is believed to have lasted 40 minutes.
After the ordeal, Baggio managed to free his family from the room.
He then had to be rushed to a hospital in Arzignano, about eight miles from his residence, for a head injury that required stitches.
Although his family managed to escape physical harm, they were deeply shaken and terrified by the harrowing ordeal.
Officials Investigating The Incident
Law enforcement officials have been provided with CCTV footage to aid their investigation.
Baggio, who has yet to make any statements regarding the robbery, dedicated his 22-year career to Italian soccer, playing for clubs such as Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter Milan.
He clinched two Serie A championships and is regarded as one of the greatest soccer players in the world.
A 1985 injury prompted Baggio to switch his religious beliefs from Catholicism to Buddhism. However, he married his partner of many years, Andreina Fabbi, in a Catholic wedding ceremony in 1989.
The couple has three children: Valentina, born in 1990; Mattia, born in 1994; and Leonardo, born in 2005.
