10 Football Stars Who Blew Their Fortune And Ended Up Broke – No. 10 Is A Nigerian That’d Shock You!

This is something like from the movies where you see tales of people who went from riches to rags.

Here, SunSport takes a look at some high-profile stars who blew their millions on all manner of stuff ranging from booze to bets to football academies.

ASAMOAH GYAN
Gyan used to drive around in a Rolls-Royce but was recently claimed to have just £600 in his bank account whilst being unable to provide for his family.

The former Sunderland striker who was reportedly earning £227,000-a-week at Shanghai SIPG, bizarrely seems to have lost all his money amid a fallout with his family.

RONALDINHO
Brazil star was reported to have just £5 in his bank account last month while still owing debts of up to £1.75million.
The former Barcelona star was heavily fined for illegal construction in a protected area in Brazil.

Despite remortgaging his property, the Brazil legendary skillster was still unable to cover the debts which saw a judge order for Ronaldinho’s passport to be seized.

DAVID JAMES
Despite earning an estimated £20million from his career, the Former England keeper David James declared himself bankrupt in 2014.

As well as a lucrative career at Prem clubs like Liverpool and Man City, the former England No1 had modelled for Armani and owned multiple properties.
But a costly divorce in 2005 saw debts start racking up and courts instructed James to sell off his sports memorabilia, DJ equipment and a Vauxhall Astra van.

DIEGO MARADONA
Argentina icon Maradona was named FIFA’s Player of the Century and then went bust.
The Argentina legend Diego Maradona twice broke the world record for transfers but in 2009 had to file for bankruptcy.

The Italian Tax Authority demanded he pays back £42million worth of unpaid taxes from his time playing for Napoli in the 1980s.

PAUL MERSON
Gambling, booze and drugs saw the former midfielder blow a staggering £7million fortune.

Merson has recovered and works as a regular pundit for Sky Sports, but he once considered breaking his fingers to prevent him from phoning the bookies.

The Arsenal legend went broke after cashing in on his £800,000 pension to allow him to go on a betting frenzy.

JOHN ARNE RIISE
Two years after winning the Champions League with Liverpool, Norwegian left-back Riise was listed as bankrupt.
The defender was just 26 at the time and was believed to be earning £50,000-a-week at Anfield.

But an unpaid debt of around £100,000 was reportedly linked to an alleged £3m fraud investigation in Norway and Riise was declared bankrupt.

ERIC DJEMBA-DJEMBA
Having played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs at Man United, the Cameroonian midfielder was declared bankrupt four years after moving to Aston Villa.
The former Man United midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba spent time at St Mirren and in the Indian Super League to recover funds.
And as SunSport found out in November, Djemba-Djemba is now playing in front of 88 fans in the Swiss fifth tier.

BRAD FRIEDEL
Ambitious plans to build a football academy in the United States blew up in the former Tottenham and Aston Villa goalkeeper’s face.
The American reportedly owed £5million and repossession proceedings began on his £260,000 house.
This was despite the current head coach of MLS team New England Revolution then earning £50,000-a-week at Villa Park.

LEE HENDRIE
Depression and a gambling addiction swathe former midfielder go broke.
Despite earning in excess of £30,000-a-week while at Aston Villa, Hendrie was declared bankrupt in January 2012 as he faced huge debts and repossessions.
The one-cap England player has revealed he tried to take his own life “five or six times” after going bankrupt and now works as an ambassador for mental health organisation Young Minds.

KEITH GILLESPIE
An addiction to gambling saw the midfielder blow more than £7.2million.
After a career that saw him take Newcastle United to the Champions League and play 80 times for Northern Ireland, the Man United product was declared broke in 2010 at the age of 35.
In an interview with the Guardian, Keith Gillespie said: “I lost an awful lot of money through gambling over the years, but I also lost money on property and got involved in a film scheme like a lot of footballers did.”

PAUL GASCOIGNE
The England hero managed to avoid bankruptcy in 2016 despite facing a £42,000 bill of unpaid taxes to HMRC.
But Gascoigne went through a troubled patch which saw him reportedly in debts of up to £200,000.
Gazza has struggled with depression and substance abuse.

CELESTINE BABAYARO
The Nigerian was the popular left-back at Chelsea and Newcastle United.
Marauding up and down the left wing at Stamford Bridge and St. James’ Park in the noughties, Babayaro picked up a healthy pay packet.

But by January 2011 the ex-Super Eagles defender was declared bankrupt on the public record of the London Gazette.