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Selcuk Bugra Gokalp
ANKARA: Brazilian football legend Zico had a briefcase worth €500,000 (approx. $543,000), containing a Rolex watch and diamonds, stolen in Paris, according to a French daily report on Friday.
Le Parisien reported that the theft occurred in the back of a taxi. An individual allegedly distracted the taxi driver while another suspect stole Zico’s briefcase.
Arthur Antunes Coimbra, widely known as Zico, 71, was in Paris at the invitation of the Brazilian delegation to watch the 2024 Olympic Games, which officially commence with the opening ceremony on Friday evening.
One of the top football players of his generation, Zico represented Brazil in three FIFA World Cups (1978, 1982, and 1986) but never secured the world title.
Zico also managed Turkish football powerhouse Fenerbahce to a domestic league title in 2007, marking the club’s centenary season. Under his coaching, Fenerbahce reached the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals in 2008.
Earlier this week, the Argentine national football team was also targeted by thieves before their match at the Paris Olympics.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), thieves entered our training place and we were robbed. Thiago Almada had his belongings, a watch and jewels stolen,” Argentina’s head coach Javier Mascherano, a former Barcelona and Argentina midfielder, said earlier.
Argentina lost to Morocco 2-1 in their Paris 2024 match on Wednesday at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Etienne, near Lyon.
Almada, a Botafogo midfielder whose belongings were stolen, was on the field during the match against Morocco.
France’s BFMTV reported on Thursday that Almada’s stolen items are valued at €50,000, or approximately $54,250. A complaint is expected to be filed soon.
