Former Brazil international forward Warley was rushed to hospital after being stabbed during a robbery, local police said.
Warley was attacked at around 4 am near his home in the northeastern Brazilian city of Joao Pessoa on Thursday, reports Xinhua.
Thieves made off with his car and mobile phone, according to police.
Warley's friend, Claudio Santos, told the Globo newspaper that the 39-year-old had undergone surgery but did not provide details of his condition.
Capped four times for Brazil's national team, Warley played for Sao Paulo, Udinese and Palmeiras during a career that spanned from 1997 to 2016.
--IANS
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