Ranking the 10 Football Stars Who Ended Up in Prison

Over the years, a number of high-profile stars have ended up behind bars, facing charges ranging from assault to tax fraud. In this article, we rank 10 famous footballers who have served time in prison based on the severity of their crimes, the impact on their careers, and public attention.

Arsenal legend Tony Adams was one of the best defenders of his generation, but off the pitch, he struggled with alcohol addiction. In 1990, Adams was sentenced to four months in prison (serving two) after crashing his car while driving drunk. Though the incident was serious, Adams bounced back, went sober, and even captained both Arsenal and England later in his career.

Johnson was a Premier League winger who played for Sunderland and even earned 12 caps for the England national team. In 2016, he was sentenced to six years in prison after being found guilty of sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.

His conviction shocked English football and effectively ended his career at age 28. Johnson served three years before being released on licence.

Famous for his "scorpion kick" and eccentric style, Colombian goalkeeper René Higuita also had a darker side to his story. In 1993, he was jailed for seven months for being involved in a kidnapping case, although he was never formally charged.

He claimed he acted as a mediator between drug lords. The case severely damaged his reputation, but he returned to football after his release.

Known for his fiery temper and aggressive style of play, Joey Barton had a troubled career marked by both talent and controversy.

In 2008, Barton was sentenced to six months in prison for assault and affray following a street fight in Liverpool. He served 74 days behind bars.

Despite the incident, Barton continued to play in the Premier League and later became a manager.

Manchester United icon Eric Cantona famously received a two-week prison sentence in 1995 for his infamous kung-fu kick on a Crystal Palace supporter.

Although it was later reduced to community service, the incident remains one of the most talked-about moments in Premier League history. Cantona was banned from football for eight months but returned to lead United to further glory.

One of the most gifted footballers of all time, Ronaldinho shocked the world in 2020 when he was arrested in Paraguay for entering the country using a fake passport.

He spent over a month in jail and several more under house arrest in a hotel before charges were dropped. Though the incident didn’t ruin his legacy, it added an odd chapter to his post-football life.

Not to be confused with Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, this Brazilian goalkeeper made headlines for all the wrong reasons. In 2010, Bruno was found guilty of orchestrating the murder of his ex-girlfriend Eliza Samudio. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

His case remains one of the darkest involving a professional athlete. Shockingly, he returned to play semi-professional football in Brazil after being granted early release in 2019.

A Manchester United legend, George Best’s off-pitch lifestyle was as famous as his football. He struggled with alcoholism for much of his life. In 1984, Best was jailed for three months for drunk driving and assaulting a police officer.

Although his time behind bars was short, it was a sad reflection of his troubled personal life. Best later admitted that his addiction cost him everything.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Maradona also had many legal problems. In 1991, he was handed a 15-month ban from football after testing positive for cocaine.

He was arrested in both Argentina and Italy on drug-related offences and once even fired an air rifle at journalists outside his home. Though he never served long prison time, his constant run-ins with the law tarnished parts of his legacy.

Robinho was once hailed as the next Brazilian superstar, playing for clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester City, and AC Milan. However, his career came to a disgraceful end after he was convicted in Italy of participating in a gang rape in 2013.

In 2017, he was sentenced to nine years in prison. Robinho has denied the charges, but Italy has issued an international arrest warrant. His former clubs and fans quickly cut ties, and he has become a cautionary tale in world football.