The World is a Ball: Gabriel, Arsenal and the national team, reacts to a thief with a baseball bat

I’ve heard since I was little, from thoughtful people, that if I were ever to be the victim of a robbery, I should never react.

Why? Because the assailants can be armed – they usually are – and, in the case of resistance, the victim can be not only attacked, but killed.

In a country where crime scares people, I am fortunate to say that I have only once been through a robbery situation when I was 19 years old.

A boy with, I guess, the same age as I was, taller, thinner, approached me in the street, very early in the morning –I was walking to take the transport to college–, and announced: “Give me the clock”.

The street was empty, there was no one to turn to. And running, even though I was fast, was not an attractive option.

I saw that he had a sharp object in his hand, maybe a penknife, and at that point I decided to run out of time.

It’s true that I felt like reacting a second before, but luckily I had an unconscious pondering and didn’t.

In less than a minute, a lost watch, a hell of a scare, and that’s it. I came out on profit.

However, it is not only in Brazil that there are bandits. And footballers, especially the more affluent, are targeted around the world.

It is not uncommon, from time to time, to read the news that robbers have managed to enter the residence of a certain player to steal what they find of value.

In the case of theft, at least it doesn’t feel like the thief is with you. Robbery is distressing, and it is not known whether it will be possible to get away with it.

A Brazilian player, from a great English club, decided to take a risk. Reacted to an assault. It was either luck or fate that he didn’t go wrong.

The case, which took place in August, is reported by the British daily Daily Mail, with information from the British police.

The athlete in question is defender Gabriel Magalhães, Arsenal holder, who was, as a reserve, in the most recent matches of the Brazilian national team for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, against Colombia (1-0) and Argentina (0-0).

The 23-year-old was returning with a friend to his house at night, and was followed by robbers, interested in stealing his black Mercedes, valued at €45,000 (BRL 287 thousand).

As he parked in the garage, Gabriel was approached by one of the thieves, who was wearing a hood over his head and armed with a baseball bat. Initially, the player raised his hands and handed him what appeared to be the car keys.

Moments later, however, there was a reaction, with an attempt by the player, who is 1.90 m, to hold the assailant, who tried to use the club, without success, and then ran, as well as his accomplice, from the house.

I’m not a counselor, but if I were, I would advise: don’t do what Gabriel did.

What if the bad guys had not a baseball bat but a firearm?

Gabriel didn’t lose his car, but he could have lost something far more valuable: his life.