How ex-Arsenal star Emmanuel Eboue lost ‘everything’ to estranged wife
Ex-Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue has shocked millions of his fans globally after admitting to being broke a few years after pocketing millions of pounds while playing in the English Premier League.
Eboue, in a tell-all interview with Daily Mirror said he can no longer afford a washing machine, a lawyer and sometimes spends the night on a floor of a friend’s house. He also uses public transport.
“I thank my grandmother because she taught me to wash, cook, clean, everything as a young man. I continue to thank God. I have my life. I didn’t want what has happened. I don’t wish it on anybody,” says Eboue.
BITTER DIVORCE
The Ivorian is also playing hide and seek with bailiffs as he is expected to surrender his Enfield house to his estranged wife Aurelie, who was awarded all their assets after a bitter divorce.
If he fails to do so, a judge will sign it off paving way for auctioneers to move in.
“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,” he said.
“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 claims that he was misadvised on how to manage his finances during his heyday. Eboue was part of the Arsenal team that lined up against Barcelona in the Uefa Champions League finals.
He was also part of the Ivory Coast team that reached the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals.
“I look back and say ¬‘Emmanuel, you have been naive… why didn’t you think about that before?’ It is hard,” he says.
LITTLE EDUCATION
The former Arsenal star, who has little education, says he sent virtually all his wages to his conniving wife.
And whenever she wanted him to sign a document, he would oblige.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Now, Eboue says his own children no longer keep contact. They are, daughters Clara, 14, and Maeva, 12, and son Mathis, nine.
‘NO CONTACT’
“It hurts me a lot. They used to call me. But now, no contact. It pains me to be alone without them,” he adds.
Eboue is now open to offers from Arsenal and FPA.
“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?” he said.
“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.”