Emmanuel Eboue was a huge name in England eleven years ago chalking an illustrious career in the Premier League for seven years.
During those years he made a lot of money, in fact millions of pounds in wages and lived lavishly driving flashy cars and residing in huge mansions.
The Ivorian who played for Arsenal is now living like a destitute avoiding bailiffs and sometimes sleeping on the floor of friend’s home.
He travels now by bus and cannot afford to buy himself a washing machine so now resort to washing his clothes with his hands.
The 34-year-old has told the Mirror in the UK how a bitter divorce with his wife has left him in a horrible state and triggered an attempt by him to commit suicide.
“I want God to help me,” he told the Mirror. “Only he can help take these thoughts from my mind.”
Eboue cannot play football for now because of ill-health and has now
- Lost a bitter divorce battle, with his wife Aurelie awarded all of their assets.
- Had to hide from cops and bailiffs after being ordered by a judge to transfer his remaining Enfield home to his wife.
- Faced a heartbreaking estrangement from his three kids, who he has not seen since June.
- Been grieving after the cancer death of grandfather Amadou Bertin – who raised him – and the loss of his brother N’Dri Serge, killed in a motorbike accident.
The Ivorian has not been able to meet a deadline for him to surrender ownership of the North London home he used to share with his wife Aurelie.
The transfer would be forced into action when a judge signs the transfer if Eboue does not do so.
Eboue said “I can’t afford the money to continue to have any lawyer or barrister.
“I am in the house but I am scared. Because I don’t know what time the police will come.
“Sometimes I shut off the lights because I don’t want people to know that I am inside. I put everything behind the door.
“My own house. I suffered to buy my house but I am now scared.
“I am not going to sell my clothes or sell what I have. I will fight until the end because it is not fair.”
Eboue had dreams of returning to play in Premier League with Sunderland but that failed to happen in 2016 and faced a 12-month ban by FIFA following a dispute with a former agent.
Eboue revealed that he did not have any guidance to manage his finances.
Eboue is now advising young African footballers to learn from his mistakes.
He said “I look back and say ‘Emmanuel, you have been naive… why didn’t you think about that before?’ It is hard.
“Very, very hard. The money I earned, I sent it to my wife for our children.
“In Turkey I earned eight million euros. I sent seven million back home. Whatever she tells me to sign, I sign.
“She is my wife. The problems with FIFA were because of people advising me. People who are supposed to care. But it was because of them FIFA banned me.”
“When I see Thierry I feel happy for him but ashamed of my own situation, Eboue said.
“When I see friends on TV that I played with or against I say to myself ‘I should still be there’. It’s hard to watch them,” he added.
Eboue wants to return to playing football one day when the chance comes.
He said “I would accept help from anywhere but if my previous club wants to help me then I would be very, very happy. Maybe I could help the young players?
“The PFA helped me when I had my problems with my agent. If they gave me a job, even if it wasn’t a big, big job.
“Maybe I’d see some of the people I played with or against and I’d feel embarrassed. But I would cope.”
Source: Africafeeds.com
