Ex-Italy footballer Roberto Baggio injured in armed robbery

Ex-professional soccer player Roberto Baggio, who used to play for Juventus and AC Milan, was harmed during a robbery at his residence in northern Italy.

The event started at 10:00 PM local time when a group of no less than five individuals entered the villa belonging to the 57-year-old in Altavilla Vicentina, as stated by local media.

The experienced soccer player was brought to a hospital in Arzignano and received stitches to his forehead after being attacked by a burglar with a gun.

In his first public speech after the event, Baggio expressed gratitude to those who sent kind wishes, stating: "The only thing left now is to conquer the fear."

Baggio also mentioned that he was lucky because the attack only left him with a few stitches, bruises, and a lot of fear.

According to Corriere della Sera, the violent altercation occurred while Baggio and his family were watching the European Championships match between Italy and Spain.

Luca Zaia, the leader of Veneto area, expressed his wishes for Baggio to bounce back from his recent poor performance. He praised the player as a representative figure of both our local football and community.

Mr. Zaia expressed strong disapproval for the incident and emphasized the importance of holding the perpetrators accountable. He expressed a desire for swift justice to be served against the criminals.

The event supposedly lasted around 40 minutes.

Baggio reportedly attempted to prevent the thieves, but one of them struck him on the head with a firearm, according to the AFP news agency.

Not long after that, he and his family were confined to a room while the thieves ransacked the house looking for valuables. It is unknown how much was stolen during the robbery.

According to reports, his family was upset by the situation in the Veneto area, but thankfully not harmed.

As soon as the footballer believed the coast was clear, he forced open the door of the room they were trapped in and contacted the authorities.

Italian news sources reported that the police received security camera footage of the incident and are currently investigating.

Nicknamed "Divine Ponytail" during his time as a standout player for the national team, Baggio helped guide his team to the World Cup final in the United States in 1994.

However, he failed to score the crucial penalty during the shootout, resulting in Brazil winning their fourth World Cup championship.

He later joined both AC Milan and Inter Milan, retiring in 2004. He is still the sole Italian player to have scored in three World Cup tournaments, and is tied as their top goal scorer in the competition.