Soccer Great Roberto Baggio Robbed at Home While Watching European Championship Game

Patrick Andres | Jun 21, 2024

Mar 25, 2013; Mexico City, MEXICO; General view of FIFA soccer ball at United States training session at Estadio Azteca in advance of World Cup qualifying match against Mexico. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Roberto Baggio—one of the greatest soccer players of his generation—was robbed at home Thursday while watching Spain defeat Italy 1-0 in the European Championship on television.

Baggio, 57, described the affair to ANSA, Italy's premier news agency.

“Anything can happen under such circumstances. Fortunately, the violence only resulted in some stitches, bruises and a lot of fear,” he said in a statement via the AP. “Now we have to get over the fear.”

Per local reports, the ex-Italy forward was watching the game with his family when thieves broke in, struck Baggio with the butt of a gun, locked the family in a room, and took valuables.

Baggio played for seven teams—all in Italy—over the course of his 22-year professional career. The Caldogno native became a popular symbol of Serie A's 1990s stature, when the Italian circuit was widely considered the best league in the world.

From 1982 to 2004, Baggio won two Italian league titles, an Italian cup, and the UEFA Cup (today's Europa League), ending his career with 318 goals for club and country.