Prison FC: 10 Famous footballers who went to jail

• Due to footballers’ celebrity status, many people forget that they are also humans and can be locked up if found on the wrong side of the law
• For one reason or the other, there are several footballers who went to jail
• Benjamin Mendy, Ronaldinho, Tony Adams and Ian Wright are among footballers who have spent time behind bars

For one reason or the other, there are several footballers who went to jail. Whereas some were detained for days allowing police to continue with investigations, others actually spent years behind bars.

Due to footballers’ celebrity status, many people forget that they are also humans and can be locked up if found on the wrong side of the law. The latest case of a footballer being found guilty in court is that of Quincy Promes, with the Dutchman being sentenced to six years in prison on Wednesday.

Promes was found guilty of trafficking drugs and his sentencing has made headlines in the football world. With his case catching the attention of many, we have decided to bring you cases of other famous players who were also convicted. Here are ten famous footballers who went to jail:

1. Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho. Photo/ Goal.com.

Arguably one of the greatest footballers of all time, Ronaldinho comes first on our list of footballers who went to jail. In 2020, the former Barcelona man and his brother Roberto de Assis landed in trouble after being found with a fake passport.

The court found the brothers guilty of forging passport documents while traveling to Paraguay and gave them a five-year sentence. However, they made a guilty plea deal and their sentences were reduced to five months. Ronaldinho spent his 40th birthday at Asuncion where they were imprisoned.

2. Benjamin Mendy 

A three-time Premier League champion, Benjamin Mendy had his football career destroyed by six women who accused him of sexual assault. Mendy was jailed at the top-security prison, HMP Manchester, and spent several months behind bars as his case continued.

The Frenchman was later cleared of six sexual violation cases and is currently free. Almost two years since his last professional appearance, Mendy signed with Ligue 1 club Lorient where he is currently playing.

3. Mason Greenwood 

Another footballer who has been disgraced in recent years, Mason Greenwood was detained in January 2022 on suspicion of sexual violation, physical assault and making threats to kill. Greenwood’s girlfriend released a voice recording of the youngster assaulting her and shared photos and videos showing bruises on her face.

Greenwood spent three nights in a detention cell but was eventually released on bail. Prosecutors dropped the case in early 2023 after key witnesses withdrew their involvement and Greenwood has since been allowed to continue with his football career. He is currently on loan at La Liga club Getafe.

Mason Greenwood. Photo/ Irish Mirror.

4. Ian Wright 

Former Arsenal forward Ian Wright spent time in jail when he was just 19 years old. This was after he declined to pay insurance or taxes for his two automobiles. He was convicted for two weeks at Chelmsford Prison in 1982 and has spoken several times about his time behind bars.

5. Joey Barton 

Joey Barton is a name that often pop ups when talking about indiscipline among footballers. Barton gained notoriety for his rage on the field and also off-the-field altercations. He has served prison sentences twice for violent charges, with the first coming after he drove his car into a pedestrian in Liverpool City Centre.

While serving his 77 days sentence, he got a four-month suspension term after admitting that he assaulted and caused bodily harm to his former teammate at Manchester City, Ousmane Dabo.

6. Tony Adams 

Tony Adams was one of the best footballers of his generation but struggled with alcohol addiction over the course of his career. In December 1990, he got a sentence of four months in prison due to drunk driving, but was released two months later. He was arrested several times because of drinking while under the influence of alcohol.

Tony Adams. Photo/ Transfermarkt.

7. Adam Johnson 

Another Premier League winner with Manchester City on our list of footballers who went to jail, Adam Johnson served time due child molestation offences. The court convicted him of child sex offences in 2016 while playing for Sunderland but he got out in 2019 after serving half of his six-year sentence due to good behaviour.

8. Duncan Ferguson 

Duncan Ferguson, one of the greatest footballers in Scotland’s history, is known for his exploits with Everton. But just like the other players on this list, Ferguson also served time behind bars. He had four convictions over the course of his career for assault, one of which was for a head-butt on fellow footballer John McStay in 1994. He was sentenced to three months in prison but was released after serving 44 days.

9. Rene Higuita 

Rene Higuita is one of the most celebrated goalkeepers in history and is mostly remembered for his incredible scorpion kick clearance during a clash between England and Colombia.

The Colombian goalie found himself amidst controversy in the 1990s after mediating between drug lord Pablo Escobar and Carlos Molina by delivering ransom money so that Molina’s daughter could be released. Although Higuita’s job was just to deliver the money, he was sentenced to seven months inside a jail in Bogota.

10. Bruno Fernandes de Souza

Closing our list of footballers who went to jail is Bruno Fernandes de Souza. The trophy-winning goalkeeper with Flamengo  was sentenced to 22 years in jail back in 2010 after being charged with kidnapping, killing and hiding the body of his ex-girlfriend Eliza Samudio.

Bruno Fernandes with Brazilian police officers. Photo/ The Sun

In July 2019, Fernandes was released from prison to severe in a semi-open program for the rest of his sentence. He was free to train during the day but remained under house arrest at night.