Many top footballers across the world have experienced different forms of scandals in recent months.
Former Manchester City defender, Benjamin Mendy, is the latest footballer to be cleared of rape and attempted rape by a jury at Chester Crown Court last Friday.
Mendy was accused of carrying out sexual acts on two different ladies at his £4million mansion in England.
The Frenchman missed Man City’s historic treble last season as Pep Guardiola’s side won the English Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League due to the trials.
After he was found not guilty of rape and attempted rape, Mendy later released a statement through his lawyer, thanking the “members of the jury for focusing on the evidence in the trial rather than on the rumour and innuendo that have followed this case since the outset.”
He also thanked everyone who has supported him throughout this ordeal and asked for “privacy, so he can begin to rebuild his life.”
The 28-year-old played his last game for Man City in August 2021.
Mendy is now a free man but clubless after his Man City contract expired at the end of June.
Also, Brentford striker, Ivan Toney was recently banned from playing football for a period of eight months.
The England attacker was also fined the sum of £50,000 after he admitted to 232 betting offences.
Toney will not play football nor take part in football-related activity within this period, according to the Football Association (FA).
The player was also warned as to his future conduct for breaches of The FA’s Betting Rules.
Also, Everton midfielder, Dele Alli recently revealed that he was “molested” by one of his mother’s friends at the age of six.
Alli also revealed that he started “dealing in drugs as a teenager and was sent to Africa to learn discipline,” adding that he almost quit football at a very young age.
The former Tottenham Hotspur star gave insight into some of the disturbing incidents that have affected both his life and career.
The 27-year-old revealed in an interview with Gary Neville on The Overlap that he had to check into rehab for six weeks this summer after becoming addicted to sleeping pills.
Similarly, DAILY POST reports that just like Mendy, the likes of Manchester United forward, Mason Greenwood, former Barcelona defender, Dani Alves and Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi have all experienced similar scandals.
Greenwood has been suspended by Manchester United since January 2022 over a sexual scandal against him.
The England youngster was arrested after the release of images and video online from a female acquaintance.
Charges of attempted rape, assault and coercive behaviour were dropped against Greenwood earlier this year.
The Crown Prosecution Service discontinued its case of attempted rape and assault against Greenwood, but the 21-year-old remains suspended by Man United as the Premier League club undertake an internal investigation regarding him.
That investigation is still ongoing, with Man United yet to confirm a decision on Greenwood’s future.
Man United have already announced that Greenwood would not return to training or play matches for the club “until further notice.”
Greenwood’s sponsorship deal with Nike was terminated, while Electronic Arts confirmed the footballer has been removed from active squads on its FIFA 22 game.
On his part, Alves, meanwhile, was recently denied bail as the investigation into an allegation of sexual assault continues.
The 40-year-old Brazilian was arrested in January this year over the alleged sexual assault of a woman in a Barcelona nightclub last December.
The accusation led to Alves’ contract with Mexican club Pumas UNAM being terminated.
The Barcelona court has repeatedly denied requests from Alves’ defence that he be freed on bail while the investigation continues.
Alves is currently in jail and has been denied bail on two occasions.
For Hakimi, he was accused of raping a 24-year-old lady in his home in Boulogne, Paris, on February 25 while his wife and children were on holiday.
However, the footballer’s lawyer and representative, Fanny Colin, denied all the accusations against his client.
Hakimi’s ex-wife, Hiba Abouk, later disclosed that she and the Moroccan international were in the middle of a divorce as a result of the scandal.
There have been claims that the settlement could be tricky as Hakimi had registered a huge part of his wealth in his mother’s name.
Hakimi and Abouk have two children, Amín, 3, and Naim, 1, together.
They married in 2020, two years after meeting in 2018.
DAILY POST reports that there are some top footballers like Lionel Messi who, in their glittering career, did not experience serious scandals that could affect their careers.
Messi, while growing up as a teenager in the Barcelona academy, was managed by his agent and father, Jorge.
Discrediting Messi has always ended in sheer humiliation for the media touting such stories.
For example, In July 2016, the media gave an audience to a blabbering model Xoana Gonzalez who claimed to have romped with the Argentina captain many years before.
The scandal was given a serious grip after Gonzalez made her claim while on air on a Peruvian TV show called ‘The Value of Truth’.
Gonzalez went on to ridicule the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner’s bedroom prowess claiming it was like “having sex with a dead body”.
At the point of this allegation, Messi was already engaged to his childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo.
Messi never responded to the scandal, and it soon fizzled out like the media firecracker it was.
Also, in 2020, Messi’s 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud was changed to a fine by the Spanish court during his time at Barcelona.
Messi, along with his father Jorge, was found guilty of defrauding Spain of €4.1million between 2007 and 2009.
His father’s 15-month sentence was replaced with a €180,000 fine.
Speaking with DAILY POST on the subject matter, Idris Musa Adinoyi, the captain of Dawaki Rangers FC, Abuja, said: “No sane man or professional will wish to be caught in a scandal of any form.
“What actually happens is when one loses focus on the pros and cons of their actions. Not much thought is given to what could ever go wrong while they are having fun and forgetting what could possibly go wrong.
“Players involved in scandals could lose their respect as an individual and as a footballer. They lose sponsorship deals, contracts, fans’ respect and the general public say all manner of negative things that will literally tarnish their image. It will be a horrible experience, I must say.
“The way out is to be responsible, it is as simple as that. You being a celebrity, rich and famous, there are lots of ‘wannabe hoes’ looking to reap you and take your earnings through greed and evil plots like Benjamin Mendy’s case.”
Also speaking with DAILY POST, Alpha Markus Sidi, Wakanda FC midfielder, said: “Being a celebrity is always not an easy thing. People try to get footballers into trouble because they know society will always believe them because most footballers are known for having extravagant spending and clubbing lifestyle.
“These people do this to get money. There are so many footballers involved in this, but they shut the accuser’s mouth with money.
“When players are involved in scandals like the Dani Alves’ case, it could ruin their careers and relationships both on and off the pitch.
“To me, the way out is prevention. I think prevention is better than cure. Footballers should try to drink responsibly even while clubbing. They should not mingle or attach themselves too much to women. Footballers should try to sleep at their various homes rather than sleeping at hotels after clubbing.
“Footballers should not stay up late. Not every invitation like night-outs and birthdays should be honoured by footballers.
“Most importantly, footballers should marry the right person because it reduces the risk of getting involved in scandal.”
