Liga MX: six great players who shone in Mexico and ended up in bankruptcy

Many soccer stars go to the top and live a fantastic life apart from their success inside the activity. Some others get dizzy and can’t hold onto their routines. Families, agents, fans, clubs, contracts, properties… not everybody can keep that in control. We’ll have a look at six players who couldn’t face the music.

After his successful career in Mexico and Italy, Chile’s Iván Zamorano opened some companies, but local banks took three of them to the court. He had to pay lots of millions from his pocket. Set to be his Paraguayan’s counterpart, Salvador Cabañas was having an awesome level until he was shot in a nightclub when playing for Club America. His career was practically over, later he started selling home-made bread in the street.     

In 2005 Mexico amazed the soccer world with the Under 17 World Cup title, in a team full of stars like Javier Hernández, Carlos Vela and Giovani Dos Santos. Among them was Cruz Azul’s Cesar Villaluz, whose career was severely harmed by a big knock received from Toluca’s José Manuel Cruzalta. He now plays in Guatemala’s 2nd Division.

After scoring lots of goals in Liga MX, Mexico’s national team and a spell in the English Premier League, Argentinian-born Matías Vuoso retired from football. Later, he appeared in a TV reality show and started working in a pizza restaurant.

By 2018 Ronaldinho Gaucho was reported to be in bankruptcy after a bank account was reported to have just $6.61. In 2020 he spent five months in prison in Paraguay accused of using fake local passports. Juan Carlos Mosquera was a promising star in Club America, but after moving to Santos Laguna he played for Necaxa, and Second Divison’s Merida and Lobos, who released from his contract. Veracruz gave him another chance, but had to dismiss him too.