The celebrated Italian footballer, Roberto Baggio, endured a terrifying ordeal at his home last Thursday as he was assaulted and thieved by armed robbers during the Italy-Spain Euro cup match. The infamous group, consisting minimally of five armed culprits, brazenly stormed into Baggio’s residence in Altavilla Vicentina, northern Italy, at 10 in the evening. Reports from a variety of media outlets hint that Baggio, aged 57, attempted to challenge the home intruders, resulting in him being hit on the skull with a weapon. Subsequently, Baggio, a former renowned recipient of the Ballon d’Or, along with his family were detained in a room while the thieves turned the house inside out, making off with cash, jewellery, and luxury watches.
Baggio managed to break free from the confinement only once assurance of safety prevailed post-robbery. He further contacted the police department soon after. He was rushed to a local hospital in Arzignano for medical attention, where he received stitches for his forehead injury. Thankfully, his family members escaped injury.
Baggio is considered one of the world’s finest footballers, popularly known as the “Divine Ponytail” due to his on-field hairstyle. His illustrious career spanned clubs like Fiorentina, Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Bologna, and Brescia. He was ranked fourth in a FIFA online poll for best player of the century in 1999. He is the only Italian player who scored in three World Cup tournaments and remains one of the top scorers for Italy in the tournament. He took the title of FIFA’s World Player of the Year in 1993 and won the coveted Ballon d’Or. Known for guiding Italy to the FIFA World Cup final in the US in 1994, Baggio’s missed penalty against Brazil in the final is a defining moment in football history that haunts him to this day.
Recently, Italy’s coach, Luciano Spalletti, invited Baggio along with other football legends – Alessandro Del Piero, Francesco Totti, Gianni Rivera, and Giancarlo Antognoni – to the training camp for Euro 2024 in an effort to bring a touch of experience to the current players.