Former Arsenal star Emmanuel Eboue reveals how he reacts to reports that he is ‘poor’
Former Arsenal and Ivory Coast defender Emmanuel Eboue has spoken out about the struggles he faced after his 2017 divorce, during which he lost a significant portion of his assets to his ex-wife, Aurelie.
The divorce, which followed a difficult period in Eboue’s life, including a one-year ban from football for failing to pay a former agent, saw him relinquish his properties, money, and cars in England.
Despite widespread reports that Eboue had become impoverished, the 40-year-old disputes this narrative, clarifying that he is not destitute. In an interview, Eboue expressed disappointment at the divorce ruling but emphasised that his main concern was for his children’s well-being. He explained that he expected his ex-wife to use the awarded assets to care for their children.
Contrary to claims that he is bankrupt and homeless, Eboue revealed that he returned to Africa after the divorce and is living comfortably off properties he owns in Ghana and his native Ivory Coast. He emphasised that reports portraying him as struggling financially are inaccurate, stating, “When people say Emmanuel Eboue lost everything, I laugh. I live very comfortably, and I thank God.”
“When [people] say Emmanuel Eboue lost everything, it’s not nice,” the 40-year-old said, as reported by Citi Sports.
“Because I had a divorce [case] and they [court] said my wife won, they gave her all my properties – my two houses, money and the cars that I had in England.
“I wasn’t worried about it because I expected that she was going to use it to take care of my children.
“When they [court] said that, I was very disappointed… To be honest, for the first time, I was very down but after that, I prayed and forgot about all of that.”
Eboue, who featured for Arsenal from 2004 to 2011, also had stints with Galatasaray in Turkey and Sunderland in England. On the international stage, he earned 79 caps for the Ivory Coast and represented his country at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.
