5 players who had the biggest falls from grace

#2 Paul Gascoigne

The former England international might well have suggested that some of his best performances came following marathon benders, but it’s clear that the now 48-year-old’s career was cut short thanks to a personal battle with alcoholism and the downsides that came with it.

Having enjoyed his time at the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio and Rangers, some might think it unfair to suggest that Gascoigne wasted his talents completely, but his rather selfish self-implosion definitely hampered his ability for a number of seasons.

Turmoil seemed to be always bubbling under the surface for Gazza. Whether it was wobbly performances or public catastrophes, he was rarely far from chaos.

His inflammatory outbursts on the field of play are as memorable as some of the great goals he scored, even when he was at his peak and he was charged with violent conduct and fined on more than one occasion, not to mention the reported physical and emotional abuse he directed at his ex-wife.

By the time he had entered his 30s, the magic had long since faded which was a real shame because he could potentially have kept on playing for another few years at the very least. His story is a cautionary one for so many youngsters who have to deal with so much at once but it still doesn’t offer much comfort to those who saw him throw his potential away.