Vincenzo Iaquinta, part of the Italian team that won the 2006 World Cup, has been sentenced to two years' imprisonment following a major Mafia trial.
Iaquinta, who was on the substitutes' bench when Italy beat the Socceroos with a controversial injury-time penalty in Kaiserslautern, was found guilty of breaking gun laws in support of the 'Ndrangheta, the Mafia group originating from his home region of Calabria.
According to sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport, the 38-year-old had two guns which he secretly passed on to his father Giuseppe, despite him having a ban on firearm possession due to his suspected Mafia links.
Vincenzo and Giuseppe Iaquinta were among the 149 defendants in a trial in Reggio Emilia, the biggest ever on 'Ndrangheta Mafia presence in northern Italy.
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Judges recognised Giuseppe Iaquinta as a fully fledged member of the 'Ndrangheta and sentenced him to 19 years' imprisonment. He and his son Vincenzo left courtroom in a rage.
The ex-player, who played at club level for Juventus and Udinese, shouted at cameras as he said, "They have ruined my life here.
Former Italian World Cup winner Vincenzo Iaquinta has been sentenced as part of a massive Ndrangheta trial.Credit:AP
"In our family, we don't even know what the 'Ndrangheta name means," he added.
"I won a World Cup and I am proud of coming from Calabria. But we did nothing because we have nothing to do with the 'Ndrangheta."
Vincenzo Iaquinta is unlikely to end up in jail as sentences of up to three-to-four years are usually served outside of a prison, for example by doing community work or spending time under house arrest.
Furthermore, Tuesday's ruling can be appealed at least twice.
DPA
