Brazil football legend Zico, who carried the Olympic torch at Paris 2024, was robbed of £420,000 in a well-coordinated incident that took place in the French capital on Wednesday evening.
Zico, the ‘White Pele’, fell prey to a coordinated attack after he left his hotel in Paris and sat in his taxi. The Brazilian was reportedly carrying a Rolex watch, diamond necklace, and cash during his taxi ride to an undisclosed location. Following that, the robber approached the taxi driver to distract him before one of his accompaniments snatched the briefcase out of the boot of the vehicle, as per a report in the Le Parisien.
The former FC Goa head coach is staying in the French capital’s 19th arrondissement as a member of the Brazil Olympic delegation. The French officials have opened an investigation following the incident that is being led by France’s Brigade for the Repression of Banditry.
Meanwhile, Zico was joined by Japan internationals and Antlers’ stars NAKATA Koji, who played for Japan at both the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, NARAHASHI Akira, who was part of Japan’s World Cup debut squad in 1998, as well as SUZUKI Takayuki, who competed at the World Cup in 2002, and HONDA Yasuto, during the torch relay on Friday.
The five football stars took their chances amid wet conditions in the city to hold the torch aloft.
