Casagrande's condition is stable

Former Brazil striker Casagrande got in a car accident.

Photo: Casagrande's condition is stable

Casagrande, one of Brazil's strikers during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and a popular TV commentator, was taken to a hospital with head trauma and other injuries after the car he was in rolled over and struck several parked vehicles late Saturday night on a Sao Paulo street.

Casagrande's girlfriend, Karine, also had to be hospitalized because of a back injury, the Albert Einstein hospital said in a statement.

Casagrande, who was unconscious when he was admitted to the hospital, would remain under observation for an undetermined period, doctors said in the statement.

"His prognosis is good," doctor Artur Timerman told the G1 Web site, adding that exams showed the player's head injury was not serious.

Casagrande was temporarily in a coma and was not able to breathe on his own, but Timerman said the player was gradually recovering and was expected to fully regain consciousness by the end of the day.

Authorities were still investigating what caused the accident.

Local media said nobody else was hurt.

The 44-year-old former player, whose full name is Walter Casagrande Jr., was one of the greatest stars of powerhouse Corinthians in the 1980s. He later played for FC Porto, Flamengo, Ascoli and Torino, which he won the Italian Cup with in 1993.

Late last year, Casagrande was hospitalized for a couple of days in Sao Paulo because of low blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat.