The 2018 World Cup is upon us, and everyone is glued to their screens watching the talented and dramatic footballers show us what they’ve got. But while it's clear pride and ego is still very much part of their personalities, we are here to prove that some of them can find themselves very humbled and in a whole lot of trouble with the law!
These are players that found fame in football, and then found themselves behind bars!
Lionel Messi
Messi is one of the most revered and popular players around. The Argentinian and FB Barcelona player has secured millions of fans with his skill, but he found himself in hot water with one of the crimes many celebs are guilty of.
Serious Stuff
Although it was primarily his father that was guilty of the crime, he dragged Messi’s name down with him when the pair were found using offshore accounts to defraud Spain of over $5 million US dollars! Seems Messi has found himself in a big mess, he is awaiting trial and was charged with tax fraud.
Keep your shirt on, there's more...
Cristiano Ronaldo
He may be the most gorgeous and talented soccer around, but he does not know how to toe the line when it comes to the law. After being accused of tax evasion in Spain for over 14.7 million euros, he reached a deal where the soccer star is supposed to serve two years in prison and pay a fine of 18.8 million euros ($21.8 million)!
Like His Nemesis
But let’s be honest, in reality much like his nemeses Messi, he will never actually serve a prison sentence since in Spain the law states that a sentence of two years could be served as probation if it’s your first offense.
Neymar Jr.
Another recognizable name on this list, Neymar Jr. is one of the best players for FC Barcelona, and recently also an Olympic medallist while playing for Brazil! But much like many other high-profiled soccer stars, he got himself in some muddy waters.
Barcelonians and their Taxes
Neymar was convicted of tax fraud, like his fellow footballer Messi. . He was convicted of failing to report earnings for different contracts and endorsements he was earning. The tax fraud came up to a total of an astounding $51, 74 million....and he will have to pay back the Brazillian government every lst cent!
Rene Higuita
Fame can be great, it comes with riches and power, but it can also be a magnet for trouble. Just ask Higuita who found himself involved with some very bad people and landed up being directly involved in the drug trade.
Drug Lord René
The football star was the go-between for the infamous Drug lord Luis Carlos Molina. It seems he was doing very well because his connection to the drug business got even deeper and he got himself involved in a kidnap for ransom.
He landed up spending six months behind bars for his involvement, but not without a reward. The drug lord’s family the Molina’s gave the player over $64,000 as a show of gratitude… are we in the Godfather?
Tony Adams
Tony Adams, the prized former player for Arsenal, was a fan favorite and considered the golden boy. So, it came to everyone’s surprise when he got himself arrested in 1990 after getting involved in an awful car crash.
Car Wreck
Not only did Adam’s crash his car smack bam into a wall, but his blood test found that his blood level was more than 25 times the legal limit. He was arrested and learned to slow down on his partying lifestyle after the arrest.
Charles N’Zogbia
He may be talented on the field, but when it comes to life he could use some training. N’Zogbia who plays for Aston Villa is trying to get back into his soccer success at 30-years-old. But who knows if he could ever make a comeback after his humiliating arrest.
Faking His Driver’s Test
The footballer had to learn the hard way that being a footballer does not mean you get a free pass when it comes to the law. The player showed up to the practical part of his driving test and tried to pay someone to take the theory part! He received a smaller conviction rather than the full sentence for the crime which should have been five years behind bars.
Marlon King
King’s career is long over since he got himself in a mess with a conviction and multiple sentencing, but once upon a time, he was one of if not the best striker for Birmingham city. How the mighty have fallen.
A Jail Regular
By now, King is probably more comfortable behind bars than not! The list of crimes he has committed range from driving without insurance, driving without real papers, and definitely the worst- sexual assault with bodily harm. He is currently behind bars (no surprise there) serving time for stealing and possession of stolen goods.
Jan Mølby
Mølby made his rounds in the soccer world, first making an impact as a player for Liverpool before playing for various other teams from 1982 to 1998 and finally transitioning to a manager! Despite his success in football, he was not able to maintain a clean slate when it came to the law.
A Driving Fail
The footballer’s bad decisions could have even caused his team the league! Mølby had to spend 3 months behind bars for reckless driving while Liverpool was in line for the title! Many complained that the punishment was too harsh, and the government planned to make an example of the high-profile player.
Duncan Ferguson
Duncan Ferguson, or ‘Duncan Disorderly’ as many fittingly call him, is not one who knows how to behave. The former Scottish footballer was signed to Dundee United, Rangers, Everton, and finally Newcastle United before he retired in 2006. He also had quite the history with the police…
A Literal Headbutt
Ferguson used his head to get himself on the mess with the law, literally! The football player actually headbutted someone and was sentenced to jail but only served 44 days of a three-month conviction.
Michael Kinsella
Kinsella had a bright future ahead of him in the football field. Signed up to Liverpool, his career was about to take off. But some bad decisions cut off his bright future before he got a chance to prove himself.
Caught Drug Dealing
Yet another soccer player who got himself involved in the world of hard drugs- Kinsella threw his career away in the span of a night when he was caught dealing drugs in a club. But it turns out that wasn’t an isolated offense. The bright-futured player was charged for six years for his involvement.
Vinnie Jones
Just by looking at former footballer Vinnie Jones, you can see he has a certain crazy look in his eye. But the man is one of endless talent and was able to conquer one profession after another. the former Wimbledon and Chelsea player left his football career to pursue acting and once and has appeared in films such as X-Men: The Last Stand.
Handy on the Plane
Jones developed a reputation of a bad boy but took this persona a little too far when he was on a plane and threatened a passenger saying that he could kill them and have someone kill them.
When the flight crew tried to intervene, he ended up threatening the crew as well! Obviously, this outburst came with consequences and he got a fine as well as community service.
Graham Rix
As a coach, you are meant to be a role model. But for Graham Rix who was an English football player and the current A.F.C Porchester coach, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Just Gross
He may have been one of the best players in his time, but his criminal history is plain revolting, in 1990 he served a year behind bars for having intimate relations with a girl who was only 15 at the time, at least a decade younger than him at the time.
Diego Maradona
He was the Lionel Messi of the 1980’s and 1990’s and Argentina’s golden boy. Maradona’s football career didn’t stop there though, he also served as a manager and coach for several other teams in South America. Despite his success, he was also a man with some controversy following his footsteps.
The Controversies
Although we can empathize with the fact that living your life in the public eye can be draining and annoying, Maradonna full-on snapped at a journalized and shot him with an air pellet gun while on a bunch of drugs. As you can imagine he spent two years in jail for the crime.
Dai Thomas
David John Dai Thomas had an incredibly bright future ahead of him when he played for Wales under 21 leagues. But his violent streak and hunger for adrenaline got the best of him and he got himself in one too many fights and eventually joined the hooligans.
Worst of the Hooligans
His ego got so big he thought he could get away with it! But after being deported from Belgium to England, this player actually was revealed to have been a part of the fight on television. Although he was never charged, it ruined his reputation from there on out.
Glen Johnson
Johnson is a star player who proves that you can make bad decisions and still make bank. The English footballer who currently plays for Stoke City also has serious issues sticking to the law.
Bathroom Crime
You would think that making the kind of money he makes; petty crimes would not be a temptation. But lo and behold, this footballer was caught by a 74-year-old security guard trying to steal bathroom appliances in a public bathroom! He was fined for his intention to steal and everyone was left wondering what was going through his mind.
Ian Wright
Wright is another former football star who branched out into another profession. The British footballer turned into a radio and TV personality before finding himself on the wrong side of the law.
He Wasn’t Paying the Queen
although this sounds pretty theatrical, the truth is Wright was avoiding his taxes and paying his health insurance. The star spent two weeks in the slammer for his crime despite his adoring fans appealing for his innocence.
Gary Croft
It is a sad reality, but if you have a serious drinking problem and don’t get help, your life is bound to fall apart. Just ask the former Ipswich player Gary Croft who ended up behind bars eventually, but before that, he was canned from his team and was also let go after playing for Cardiff City.
Drinking Problem
There was a point where his abuse of alcohol was so severe that he even had to wear an alcohol electric device during one of his games! Not only did it cause him to be irresponsible with his soccer profession, but he also got arrested for getting behind the wheel while he was far too wasted.
Matti Pattinson
Pattinson is the only South African football player who landed a spot on this infamous list. He was chosen for the South African national team and is currently a midfielder for the club team Bidvest, but he may have to kiss his bright future goodbye before he gets to live it thanks to a weird series of events…
Driving in His Underwear
Like many footballers, Pattinson loves a good night out. But you have to learn how to balance fun and football. After hurrying straight to practice so he wouldn’t upset his manager, he was so rushed he got in the car with only his shirt and underwear.
Lo and behold, the police pulled him over for reckless driving. we can imagine getting caught in only your underwear is one of the most embarrassing situations, but when you’re famous and the world finds out we can imagine it’s even worse. He ended up getting charged with 20 months of banned driving.
Peter Storey
Peter Storey could do it all when it came to the field. He could play fullback as well as a defensive midfielder and fittingly earned the nickname “Hatchetman”. Did we mention the former England International player is also a convicted criminal?
He Did It All
From producing counterfeit money to trying to make a brothel (in order to jump his bail of all things) it’s a miracle he only served three years behind bars!
Bobby Moore
Moore was considered one of the greatest English Footballers and was the captain of West Ham for more than 10 years.
He Was Meant to be the Good Guy
Moore had the reputation of being the good guy both on the field and off, but that illusion was shattered when it came out that he was involved in a stolen jewelry case in South Africa. Thanks for a little intervention by the British government, he wasn’t automatically sent to jail.
Lee Hughes
