Professional footballers live under immense pressure, with packed calendars and constant public scrutiny. But not every player chooses to unwind quietly.
For some, nightlife and headlines go hand-in-hand – and in a few cases, their reputations off the pitch have almost outshone what they did on it.
From notorious nights out to full-blown tabloid sagas, here are some of football’s most infamous party lovers – past and present.
Footballers Who Loved a Party Lifestyle
Jack Grealish – The Modern Face of the Football Party Scene
Jack Grealish might be one of England’s most marketable stars today, but he’s also one of the most tabloid-friendly. The £100 million man has been snapped on countless nights out – from Las Vegas benders to end-of-season Ibiza getaways.
His love for a night out became especially well-documented after Manchester City’s Treble win in 2023, where Grealish seemed to celebrate nonstop for days.
While he is no longer a regular starter under Pep Guardiola, the images – tequila in hand, shirt off, and sunglasses on indoors – have become part of his persona.
Ronaldinho – Smiling Through the Party Decade
Ronaldinho’s talent was once described as “God-given,” and for a while, he made football look like street art. But as quickly as he rose to the top, his discipline faded, not helped by his notorious nightlife.
During his time at Barcelona, it was reported that he’d often show up to training barely recovered from the night before. Teammates admired him, but privately, there were murmurs of wasted potential.
Even after leaving Europe, Ronaldinho’s party lifestyle never really slowed down.
George Best – The Original Rockstar Footballer
Before Grealish and R10, there was George Best – the original football playboy.
In the 1960s and ’70s, Best was Manchester United’s golden boy and Northern Ireland’s football’s brightest star. As a smoker of cigarettes, long before access to nicotine pouches, football’s party playboy was just as known for his off-pitch antics made just as many headlines as his goals.
He once famously said, “I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.”
Best would miss training, disappear for days, and turn up in bars across the UK and beyond. His fall was as dramatic as his rise, but even in his decline, he maintained cult hero status.
Mario Balotelli – Wild Nights, Wilder Stories
Mario Balotelli’s reputation for chaos is part of football folklore.
Whether it was setting off fireworks in his house or gate-crashing press conferences, no one could ever accuse Super Mario of being boring.
Balotelli’s career has been a rollercoaster, and while flashes of brilliance were there, his off-field choices arguably derailed what could have been a longer stay at the top level.
Adriano – The Emperor Who Lost Control
Adriano was once seen as the natural successor to Ronaldo Nazário – strong, fast, and technically gifted. But after the death of his father in 2004, the Brazilian striker spiralled.
By his own admission, he turned to alcohol to numb the pain, and his party lifestyle took over.
Reports from his time at Inter Milan painted a grim picture – missed training sessions, clubbing until dawn, and even disappearances from team activities.
Adriano would later have stints back in Brazil, where the lifestyle only intensified. While his story is deeply tragic, it’s also a raw example of how quickly fame and loss can combine destructively.
Paul Gascoigne – Talent Drowned in Turmoil
Few players captured England’s imagination like Paul Gascoigne in the 1990s. But while “Gazza” could light up a pitch with sheer genius, his personal life was in constant disarray.
Known for his heavy drinking, wild nights, and controversial behaviour, Gascoigne battled addiction throughout his career and beyond.
Tales of drunken antics, hotel trashings, and erratic public appearances plagued him for years.