Italian football legend Roberto Baggio has been hospitalized after being attacked by armed robbers who stormed his home and locked his family in as they watched the Euro 2024 match between Italy and Spain.
Baggio, 57, was at his home in Altavilla Vicentina, a small town in northern Italy about an hour from Venice, at around 10pm local time when the gang of five broke in.
When Il Divin Codino, The Divine Ponytail in English, tries to fight the thugs, he is hit in the head with the butt of a gun, before he and his family are locked in a room.
The robbers stole watches, jewelry and money, the value of which is unknown at this time, from the farm that he and his family owned for 15 years.
The Ballon d’Or winner managed to get his family out of the locked room, but not before the robbers escaped. Corriere della Sera reported that the robbery took place over 40 minutes.
He married his longtime partner Andreina Fabbi (pictured) in 1989
Baggio was left with stitches on his forehead (Pictured in a match against Spain in 2004)
The couple have three children – Valentina (pictured, center-left), born in 1990, Mattia (pictured, center-right), born in 1994, and Leonardo (pictured, left), born in 2005.
Baggio, 57, was at his home in Altavilla Vicentina, a small town in northern Italy about an hour from Venice, at around 10pm local time when the gang of five broke in.
Investigating police have been given CCTV footage to help with their investigation.
Baggio, meanwhile, had to go to hospital in Arzignano, about eight miles from his home, to be treated for a forehead injury, where he was given stitches.
While none of the family members were hurt, local media reported that they were terrified by the incident at their home, which is reportedly located in a secluded area surrounded by countryside and forest.
Baggio, who scored 27 goals in 56 caps for the national team, and his family have not commented on the horrific robbery.
The Italian legend spent his entire 22-year sporting career in Italy, playing for three of the country’s best clubs, Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan, as well as other smaller clubs.
While he won two Serie A titles during this time, his legacy was somewhat tarnished by his infamous penalty miss in the 1994 World Cup final against Brazil.
An injury in 1985, just three years into his career, threatened to end his time as a footballer. The incident changed him, and he converted from Catholicism to Buddhism.
Baggio and his family (pictured) were locked in their room by the robbers
Roberto Baggio (pictured) had to go to hospital to be treated for a forehead injury, which required stitches.
Baggio spent his sports career in Italy for 22 years
He is often considered one of the greatest players in the world (Pictured in the front row together with other Italian football legends on June 3)
Baggio is known as The Divine Ponytail, a moniker given to his bizarre haircut
His religion is such a deep part of his identity that he proudly wears the colors of his religious school, Nichiren Buddhism, on his captain’s armband.
The band also has a Japanese motto ‘We win. We have to win.’
His strong Buddhist beliefs allowed him to establish strong ties with Japan, where he was famous. Baggio has appeared in several football-themed cartoons and video games published in the country.
But he never abandoned his Catholic origins, marrying his partner Andreina Fabbi in 1989 in a Catholic ceremony.
The couple has three children – Valentina, born in 1990, Mattia, born in 1994, and Leonardo, born in 2005.
In addition to being a successful footballer, he is a businessman, owning a sporting goods store in Thiene, Vicenza, called Baggio Sport which had to close in 2012 after several losses following the 2008 global recession.
His children all live with him in a remote area of northern Italy
Despite believing in Buddhism, she married her husband in a Roman Catholic ceremony
After retiring from football, he became a high-ranking official in the Italian Football Federation, chairing the organization’s technical section.
But in 2013, after three years on the job, he resigned claiming that the sports body did not listen to recommendations to nurture young talent.
Outside of football, he is involved in charity work. He was named a Goodwill Ambassador at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and helped fund hospitals, raise money for disaster victims and raise funds to fight bird flu.
The Divine Ponytail has also used his football skills to raise money for charity, participating in several fundraising matches, including the 2008 friendly between Milan and Florentina which raised money for ALS treatment.
He also participated in the 2014 Peace Games in Rome, to raise money for Scholas, a project that aims to connect schools and educational networks of different cultures and beliefs from around the world.
Baggio played alongside Diego Maradona, Carlos Valderrama, Zinedine Zidane, Lionel Messi and Andrea Pirlo.
He was awarded the 2010 Man of Peace award for his charity and social justice work, presented by the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Hiroshima, Japan.
Baggio is also an avid hunter, and owns a ranch in Rivera in southwestern Argentina where he hunts wild game.