Football can make players millionaires in just a few years, but a lucrative career does not always guarantee financial security after retirement.
For some former stars, enormous earnings were followed by unpaid taxes, failed investments, expensive lifestyles, addiction, divorce settlements and poor financial planning.
Their experiences show how quickly football fortunes can disappear when income falls sharply after the final whistle.
Here are seven high-profile footballers whose finances suffered major setbacks after or towards the end of their playing careers:
1. Ronaldinho
Brazilian great Ronaldinho earned millions during a glittering career that included the World Cup, a Ballon d’Or and major honours with…