Football legend Gascoignes on alcohol addiction: ‘I am a sad drinker’

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English legend Paul Gascoigne (56) is now open about his alcohol addiction and publicly admits to being a drinker. Now he tells how his consumption has turned into a brutal addiction.

According to “Sky,” the former international player is now living in his agent’s guest room in Dorset, England. “If I’m feeling really bad, I treat myself to a drink to build myself up,” he says. “I’m a sad drinker.”

Four years ago, ‘Gazza’, as he is affectionately known by English fans, wanted to put an end to drinking with drastic measures. During an operation, several pellets were sewn into the stomach lining of Gascoigne, who is said to make him ill when he drinks alcohol. But the effect disappears after a while.

Other stars also fell victim to addiction

Paul Gascoigne is a sad example of many. Whether it’s drugs or alcohol, some football stars even became addicted during their playing career.

Borowka led a double life as an alcoholic and a professional football player. The German former footballer and coach played for Borussia Mönchengladbach and Werder Bremen, among others. The defender played six times for the national team. Even as a professional, he became an alcoholic, addicted to prescription drugs and addicted to gambling. The alcohol addiction lasted for more than twenty years. 24 years ago he took the step to retire. Nowadays, as a dry alcoholic and role model, he helps current addiction patients.

Former professional footballer Wayne Rooney (including Man Utd) was regarded as an exceptional talent and shot himself into the history books as Manchester United’s record goalscorer. Rooney recently admitted to drinking excessively during his playing career.

The Northern Irish football legend was celebrated as a dribbling artist throughout his career. Although his antics were known early on, they were downplayed for a long time. Years of alcohol addiction even forced Best to have a liver transplant. In 2005, the idol died at just 59 years old due to his poor health.

It was a shocking confession from ex-Nati defender Timm Klose in 2019: Klose started drinking at the age of 13. It was only when he was on the verge of a heart attack that Klose gave up alcohol, cigarettes and cannabis and embarked on a major professional career.

He is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time. But off the field, Argentinian Diego Armando Maradona was hit hard. In 1991, Maradona tested positive for cocaine for the first time and was banned for fifteen months. In the years that followed, Maradona was repeatedly associated with lavish parties and excesses. Maradona died in 2020 after a heart attack at the age of 60.

Romanian football talent Mutu never quite reached the top of the world due to his drug use. Because as brilliant as Mutu was on the pitch at Juve and Chelsea, among others, he was just as undisciplined off it. The striker played a total of 77 international matches for Romania until he was found to have cocaine in 2004 and was given a seven-month suspension. In 2010 he also tested positive for performance-enhancing appetite suppressants (doping).

Just a few years ago, Bamidele Jermaine Alli (Dele Alli for short) was being celebrated as one of the brightest talents in English football. But the celebrated star faces a difficult fate. He was sexually abused at the age of six, started smoking at the age of seven and was dealing drugs at the age of eight. At the age of 24, problems returned to Dele Alli’s life. Mental problems, drugs and an addiction to sleeping pills almost force the young player to end his career. The professional is now under contract with Everton, but has not played since the summer of 2023 due to an injury.

Source : Blick