Evans Annang

The disgraced former&nbsp;Barcelona&nbsp;star learnt his fate this morning after being driven to the Barcelona court where he was tried earlier this month in a police van.

Alves joins a list of ex-football stars who have found themselves grappling with the law over the years.

Here are ten footballers who found themselves on the wrong side of the law, leading to incarceration.

These stories serve as a reminder of the challenges and pressures that can accompany professional sports careers.

<h3>1. Adam Johnson - England</h3>

Former England international and Sunderland winger, Adam Johnson, was convicted of engaging in sexual activity with a minor in 2016. His career was abruptly halted, and he faced a significant prison sentence.

<h3>2. Bruno Fernandes de Souza - Brazil</h3>

The Brazilian goalkeeper, known as Bruno, was convicted in 2013 for his involvement in the kidnapping and murder of his ex-girlfriend. This shocking case drew widespread attention and ended his football career.

<h3>3. Joey Barton - England</h3>

Joey Barton, known for his time at Manchester City, Newcastle United, and Queens Park Rangers, has had multiple legal issues. He served time in prison in 2008 following an assault in Liverpool.

<h3>4. René Higuita - Colombia</h3>

The legendary Colombian goalkeeper was known for his eccentric playing style and the famous 'Scorpion Kick'. Higuita was incarcerated in 1993 for his involvement in a kidnapping case, which significantly impacted his career.

<h3>5. Tony Adams - England</h3>

Arsenal and England defender Tony Adams was sentenced to prison in 1990 for drink-driving. His incarceration led to a period of reflection, after which he returned to football and spoke openly about his struggles with alcoholism.

<h3>6. George Best - Northern Ireland</h3>

One of football's greatest talents, George Best faced numerous legal issues related to alcohol abuse. He was imprisoned in 1984 for drunk driving, assaulting a police officer, and failing to comply with a bail condition.

<h3>7. Duncan Ferguson - Scotland</h3>

Duncan Ferguson, the former Everton and Scotland striker, served time in prison in the 1990s for an on-field assault against an opponent. This incident is one of the few times a footballer has been jailed for an act committed during a game.

<h3>8. Nile Ranger - England</h3>

Former Newcastle United striker Nile Ranger has had multiple run-ins with the law throughout his career. He was incarcerated in 2017 for online banking fraud, highlighting issues of discipline and conduct off the pitch.

<h3>9. Jan Molby - Denmark</h3>

The Danish midfielder, best known for his time at Liverpool, served a prison sentence in the early 1990s for reckless driving. Molby's case was notable due to his high profile as a Premier League footballer at the time.

<h3>10. Marlon King - Jamaica</h3>

Marlon King, who played for multiple English clubs, faced incarceration for sexual assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 2009. His career in England was deeply affected by his legal troubles.

Brazilian football superstar Dani Alves has been jailed for four-and-a-half years after being convicted of raping a woman at a Spanish nightclub.

10 footballers whose careers were marked by jail terms

Footballers, revered as heroes by many, are not immune to the pressures and challenges that come with the sport. Occasionally, even the most celebrated players face moments they wish they could redo.

In such instances, some have taken the path of humility and accountability, openly apologizing for their actions or performances that fell short of expectations.

This list highlights notable footballers who have stood up to acknowledge their shortcomings and expressed regret for either personal errors or their team's poor performance.

Roberto Baggio (Italy): Baggio famously apologised to the entire nation of Italy after missing the final penalty in the 1994 FIFA World Cup final shootout against Brazil, leading to Italy's defeat.

Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany): Schweinsteiger apologised to German fans and his team after getting a red card in an important UEFA Champions League match, negatively impacting his team's performance.

Lionel Messi (Argentina): Messi apologised to Argentinian fans after missing a penalty in the Copa America Centenario final in 2016 against Chile, a miss that was part of Argentina's defeat in the final.

David Beckham (England): Beckham issued a public apology after his infamous red card in the 1998 FIFA World Cup match against Argentina, which many believed contributed to England's elimination.

Luis Suárez (Uruguay): Suárez apologised for his handball incident during the 2010 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal against Ghana, which prevented a certain goal and led to Ghana's eventual elimination after the penalty shootout.

Gianluigi Buffon (Italy): Buffon apologised to Italian fans after Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, a significant national disappointment for a country with a rich footballing history.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): Ronaldo has expressed regret and apologized for his team's performances on a few occasions, notably when Portugal had unexpectedly early exits from major tournaments.

Wayne Rooney (England): Rooney issued an apology to England fans after the team's poor performance in the 2010 World Cup, where they were eliminated in the Round of 16.

Neymar (Brazil): Neymar apologised to the Brazilian fans after the 2014 World Cup, particularly for his injury and Brazil's subsequent heavy loss to Germany in the semi-finals.

Andre Ayew (Ghana): The Black Stars captain, in a video posted on social media, apologised to Ghanaians for the shambolic performance the team put up at the 2023 African Cup of Nations in Cote D’Ivoire. He accepted responsibility for the team’s failure to make the next round of the competition.

In the high-stakes world of professional football, every move and decision can have monumental consequences, not just for the outcome of a game, but also for the emotions of millions of fans worldwide.

10 footballers who apologised for the poor performance of their national team

In the 27-music list shared on X by Mr. Obama, top Nigerian afrobeat stars like Davido, Burna Boy, and Asake featured.

The list also has Nigerian female crooner Tems and United Kingdom (UK) born Ghanaian rapper Stormzy.

Davido made the list with “Unavailable”, Burna Boy got in with “Sitting on Top of the World” in which he featured 21 Savage, Asake made it with “Amapiano” where he featured Olamide, Tem’s “Me &amp; U” and Stormzy’s “Toxic Trait” completed the list for African musicians and musicians with African descent.

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Here are some of my favorite songs from this year. Let me know if there are any artists or songs I should check out. <a href="https://t.co/8BaeGxWUsv">pic.twitter.com/8BaeGxWUsv</a>&mdash; Barack Obama (@BarackObama) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1740749706010022387?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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Former United States President Barack Obama has released his annual favorite music list for the year 2023.

Davido, Burna Boy, Asake, and Stormzy songs make Obama’s favorite music of 2023

On Thursday, in Abidjan, the preliminary draw for the ultimate qualification to play at the Mundial was held.

A group of nine with six teams each have been drawn with the winner of each group qualifying for the tournament.

The four best runners-up will play in a CAF Play-Off tournament. The winner of the CAF Play-Off Tournament will play in the FIFA Play-off Tournament.

The qualifiers are scheduled to take place over two years, from November 2023 to November 2025.

Check out all the groups and the countries that will battle it out in them below:

Qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup which will be held in Canada, the United States of America and Mexico has kicked off on the African continent.

Here are all the groups for qualification from Africa to the 2026 World Cup

The main purpose of the meeting is to finalise the final rites for the former Black Stars player.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Yussif told the media that:&nbsp;

“We will call on the President on Monday. Once we do that, the plan that the family has tabled before the Ministry and GFA would be made public because it is subject to the confirmation of the president.&nbsp;&nbsp;A funeral planning committee has also been set up to ensure a befitting funeral.”

The government has vowed to fully engage with the family in giving Atsu a proper burial.

Last Friday, discussions were completed between the Atsu family, Ghana Football Association representatives, and Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif ahead of the late footballer’s final funeral rites.

Following the 7.8 magnitude catastrophe, Christian Atsu was discovered dead under the debris at his residence in the Turkish province of Hatay.

How Christian Atsu donated his first FC Porto salary to a Ghanaian church

His body was subsequently brought to Ghana with government representatives, members of the football community, colleagues, supporters, and Ghanaians, in general offering their condolences to the bereaved family.

On March 4, 2023, the deceased footballer will be remembered with a one-week memorial observation at Adjiringanor in Accra.&nbsp;

Christian Atsu's family with Minister of Sports

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is set to meet the family of the late Ghanaian player Christian Atsu today.

Akufo-Addo to meet Christian Atsu’s family today to finalise final funeral rites

In one of his interviews in Lagos, the Tema born rapper said he is not cherished enough in his motherland.

He appeared on Lagos-based The Beat FM Thursday, August 19, where presenter&nbsp;Osikhena Dirisu&nbsp;told him that&nbsp;Ghanaians don’t give him enough credit after ‘putting Ghana on the map.’

In his response,&nbsp;Sarkodie&nbsp;said he agrees with Osikhena’s assertions, however, it will be dicey coming from him because his friends will ‘feel kind of way.’ He said he gets support from Ghanaians, but they do not cherish him.

“I think for the past week or something, I was on a media tour, and I had a conversation...but you are saying it,”&nbsp;Sarkodie said.&nbsp;“It's kind of dicey when it's coming from me because I have friends, and they don't want to feel a certain kind of way. From what you said, I could say I do get support from Ghanaians, just that they should really hold unto moments and cherish it.”

Well, the above has caught the ire of some Ghanaians on social media. Commenting on the statement on Facebook, they berated Sarkodie for not giving them credit for making him who is.

Check out some of the comments below

Multiple award-winning rapper Sarkodie is currently in Nigeria to promote his latest album ‘No Pressure’.

Ghanaians lash out at Sarkodie for saying he is not cherished by his country-men

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Pulse Kenya is the most followed news and entertainment platform in Kenya. It informs and engages young Kenyans around the clock and provides updates by the hour.

Pulselive Kenya

Content Associate at Pulse Ghana with interests in politics and local news.