Former Italian footballer Roberto Baggio in hospital after robbery

Italian football legend Roberto Baggio was hospitalized after armed robbers stormed his house.

The intruders locked his family in while they watched the Euro 2024 match between Italy and Spain last night.

According to Daily Mail Sports, Baggio, 57, was at his home in Altavilla Vicentina, a small town in northern Italy about an hour’s drive from Venice, when a gang of five broke in at around 10pm local time on Thursday evening.

Italy lost the game against Spain by a single goal.

While Baggio, known as Il Divin Codino (The Divine Ponytail), tried to fend off the attackers, he was hit in the head with a rifle butt before he and his family were locked in a room.

The robbers stole watches, jewelry and money from the remote property where Baggio and his family have lived for 15 years.

The exact value of the stolen items is not yet known. The robbery reportedly lasted 40 minutes.

After the robbers left, Baggio managed to free his family from the locked room. He had to go to a hospital in Arzignano, about 13 kilometers from his home, to receive treatment for a forehead injury that required stitches.

Although no one in his family was physically injured, they were frightened by the incident.

Video surveillance recordings were handed over to the investigating police to assist in their investigations.

Through his agent Vittorio Petrone, Baggio told Italian media: “First of all, my family and I would like to thank everyone for the great love we have experienced. Thank you very much.”

“Anything can happen in similar circumstances and fortunately the violence I suffered only caused a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now I just have to overcome the fear.”

Petrone told Italian media: “The lightning strike in broad daylight prevented the best security systems with which the villa is equipped from being activated.

“Due to the events, we will now further strengthen the daytime detection systems throughout the area.

“It is only when you are hit yourself that you realise the scars left by an incident of violence and oppression at home and among your family. Roberto surprised me once again with the clarity and strength of mind he expressed immediately after the attack.

“I am sure that Roberto will once again be the support that his entire family can rely on to put this brutal attack behind them. The investigators are working hard to bring the perpetrators to justice.”

Baggio spent his entire 22-year sporting career in Italy, playing for Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan and other clubs.

He won two Serie A titles and is considered one of the best players in the world.

Due to an injury, he converted from Catholicism to Buddhism in 1985, but married his long-time partner Andreina Fabbi in a Catholic ceremony in 1989.

The couple has three children: Valentina, born in 1990, Mattia, born in 1994, and Leonardo, born in 2005.