Buenos Aires, Sep 10 (IANS): Argentine footballer Daniel " Rolfi" Montenegro and his family were robbed at gunpoint late Monday, police said Tuesday.

The 35-year-old forward, who currently plays for top Argentine team Independiente, was driving along the West Highway, west of Greater Buenos Aires, accompanied by his wife and three children, when a car swerved in front of them, Xinhua reported.

Several armed men got out, and two boarded Montenegro's van, Argentine daily Clarin said, adding according to preliminary reports, they took the footballer to his house to steal money and other things from him, while they held his family in the van.

Clarin said Montenegro, who showed up for practice early Tuesday and was peppered with questions about his ordeal by the sports reporters covering the team, simply said "they treated us with respect, they never mistreated us, and at least I lived to tell about it."

The footballer and his family were released near a residential complex in western Greater Buenos Aires.

Montenegro, whose team Independiente is one of the country's top five most popular teams, has also played for Olympique ( Marseille, France), Real Zaragoza and Osasuna of Spain, and Mexico 's America.