A former Paris Saint-Germain soccer star and his wife endured a terrifying ordeal when five masked gunmen stormed their family home in Spain, allegedly tying up the athlete, threatening relatives and stealing valuables while the couple’s two young children were inside.
Sergio Rico, 33, and his wife, social media influencer Alba Silva, were enjoying dinner with their family on Monday night, October 19, when the armed intruders entered their home near Seville, turning an ordinary evening into a frightening confrontation.
The couple’s 2-year-old daughter, Carla, and infant son, Sergio, were inside the house, along with Silva’s mother and a household employee, when the robbers reportedly entered around 10 p.m.
According to Spanish television network Telecinco, the five suspects were wearing masks and gloves and carrying handguns when they entered the residence through the front door. With the family gathered for dinner, the home’s security alarm was reportedly not activated.
Realizing something was wrong, Rico and his wife rushed to protect their children, retreating into another room and attempting to hide from the intruders. But the armed men reportedly forced their way inside, leaving the family with nowhere to escape.
What followed was a frightening confrontation that left the former goalkeeper and his relatives shaken.
Spanish television reports indicate that Rico was restrained and tied to a chair while the intruders demanded money and valuables. Other family members were threatened, and one report alleged that Silva’s mother had a gun pointed at her head.
The robbers reportedly took cash, jewelry, expensive watches and other valuable possessions before leaving the property. The total value of the stolen items has not been publicly confirmed.
Additional accounts from Spanish broadcaster Antena 3 suggest the intruders locked family members in the basement before fleeing and threatened a security guard working in the residential community.
Although some initial reports described Rico as having been severely beaten, the soccer player later contacted Telecinco to clarify that those accounts exaggerated the physical violence he experienced.
He acknowledged the seriousness of the attack but disputed claims that he had suffered an especially brutal beating.
The emotional impact, however, was undeniable.
Spanish media reported that Rico and Silva received medical and psychological assistance at their home after the robbery. Their children were not reported to have suffered physical injuries.
For Silva, the experience was particularly upsetting because her two young children had been present throughout the frightening ordeal.
The day after the home invasion, she addressed her approximately 255,000 Instagram followers, admitting that she was still struggling to process what had happened.
“I’m still in shock after last night; I have no words,” she wrote in a message translated from Spanish.
Despite the fear and uncertainty, Silva emphasized that she was grateful her family had survived the encounter safely.
“The only thing that truly matters is that, thank God, our family is safe,” she added, thanking supporters for their concern.
The couple reported the robbery to Spanish authorities, who launched an investigation into the armed intrusion. According to Antena 3, the Guardia Civil, Spain’s national law enforcement agency, is working to identify the suspects and determine how the group entered the property.
People close to the family reportedly believe the robbery may have been carefully planned, pointing to the number of intruders, their weapons and the fact that they covered their faces and hands.
However, investigators have not publicly established whether Rico’s home was deliberately targeted because of his soccer career or whether the suspects had previously monitored the property.
The ordeal represents another frightening chapter in a life that has already seen Rico survive a medical emergency that nearly killed him.
In May 2023, the Spanish goalkeeper suffered a devastating horseback riding accident in southern Spain, leaving him with serious head injuries. He spent approximately three weeks in a coma and remained hospitalized for nearly three months before being discharged that August.
His recovery attracted international attention, particularly among soccer fans who had followed his career with Paris Saint-Germain, Sevilla and England’s Fulham.
After months of rehabilitation, Rico eventually resumed his professional career, making his survival and return to the sport a remarkable personal achievement.
Now, more than three years after that accident, he and his family have experienced another frightening emergency, this time inside the home where they should have felt safest.
The latest robbery also brings back memories of an earlier burglary involving the goalkeeper.
In January 2021, while Rico was playing for Paris Saint-Germain in France, thieves broke into his home in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine.
The burglars reportedly stole approximately $28,000 in cash, along with luxury watches and jewelry, while the goalkeeper was away participating in a soccer match.
Unlike the earlier burglary, however, the latest incident occurred while Rico’s wife, children and other relatives were at home, creating a far more frightening confrontation.
The case has also drawn attention in Spain amid reports of other professional soccer players becoming victims of burglaries and home invasions, prompting renewed concerns about security for high-profile athletes and their families.
Spanish authorities have not announced any arrests in connection with the October 19 robbery, and the investigation remains ongoing.
For Rico and Silva, the stolen possessions appear to be a secondary concern compared with the experience of watching armed strangers threaten their family.
After surviving a life-threatening accident, rebuilding his career and welcoming two children with his wife, Rico has once again found himself confronting an unexpected crisis.
This time, thankfully, his family survived the frightening ordeal together.