Over time, some footballers have been found guilty of crimes outside of football and convicted legally. They go on to serve jail sentences as proof that, despite their football stardom, they are accountable for the actions they take as members of society.
We compiled a list of ten footballers who have served jail time, as well as the offenses they committed:
Trabelsi played for Fortuna Dusseldorf for a season when he was in Germany. He played for the team in just one league game and scored a goal.
Trabelsi was arrested shortly after his debut due to his ties to Al-Qa’ida. Trabelsi was found guilty of preparing an assault against US soldiers at a Belgian air base. In addition, he was thought to be the mastermind behind the terrorist scheme involving the Paris Embassy, having been assigned the role of the suicide bomber who would carry out the attack.
Trabelsi received a 10-year jail term in 2003.
Lee Hughes
The 2004 season was a turning point in the life of the former West Bromwich Albion striker. One evening while driving, Hughes collided his Mercedes with another vehicle, killing the occupant of the other vehicle.
Even worse, there were rumors that Hughes had been driving while intoxicated, so he and his companion left the scene. Hughes handed himself in the next day and was released on police bail.
Hughes was found guilty in 2004 of killing someone by driving recklessly and fleeing the scene of an accident. Hughes received a six-year prison term along with a ten-year driving suspension.