From the fields to the taverns: the 5 players who lost everything due to their addiction to alcohol

Alcoholism is undoubtedly one of the diseases that affect millions of people around the world, however there are many who do not consider it as such.

Football and other sports in general, are no strangers to addictions and there are many great football players, who have seen their careers and their lives be seriously affected by drinking problems. These are just some of the most prominent football players who lost everything because of their alcohol problems.

Paul Gascoigne, the former English striker is probably the first that comes to mind to any fan when it comes to football and alcohol. During his best footballing moment, which was between the late 80s and early 90s, his addiction was already known, however his biggest problems grew after retiring to the point of becoming news about detoxification and relapses of him.

George Best is a football and bar myth, as the player is said to have spent a lot of money on cars, women, and alcohol. Every time he entered a place with many people wanting to invite him a drink, the footballer could not say no. Best had a house near the sea, but in order to go there, he had to pass in front of a bar. It is said that he never went to the sea and always stayed to drink.

Gerd Müller tried alcohol after his retirement, it is said that the German forward never related alcohol during his sports career, but after his retirement a depression led him to spend more time in bars than on football fields, becoming already into a full-time alcoholic.

Ariel Ortega is said to have started with alcohol in Italy, el 'Burrito' as he was known, was one of the great footballers of his generation, a great idol of the Argentine fans, who when arrived to Italy, he began to flirt with alcohol, leading to various fights between friends, teammates and relatives.

Jorge 'Magico' González The maximum exponent of the Salvadoran football is for many one of the greatest virtuous in the history of football, as he was well demonstrated in Spain and so affirmed by the fans of Cádiz, where he was an idol. However, his character and his fondness for the party prevented him from sitting with the most important of this sport.