2021 in Review: Big Name Football Players in Trouble With the Law

• Patrick Phungwayo, Quincy Promes, Karim Benzema and Benjamin are all currently afoul of the law
• From South Africa to France, England and the Netherlands, the four are facing serious charges which have brought them into disrepute
• One of them has already been convicted, while the others are either yet to have their day in court or already on trial

From South Africa to Europe, four prominent football players will be sweating heavily going into the new year.

Patrick Phungwayo, Quincy Promes, Karim Benzema and Benjamin Mendy are all offside currently with the law for a gamut of crimes.

Former Orlando Pirates defender Patrick Phungwayo was arrested in November on charges of carjacking and being possession of stolen property. According to Kickoff.com, the 33-year-old Phungwayo, who is still without a club, was released on R5 000. The matter is still in court, with Phungwayo denying any knowledge of the stolen property property and hijacked vehicles found on his residence.

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Spartak Moscow player and Dutch international Quincy Promes was charged in November in the Netherlands for attempted murder and assault. The Daily Mail reported that Promes attacked a relative last December with a knife, seriously injuring him. He continues to play for Spartak, but is on hiatus for the national team until the matter is resolved.

Real Madrid and France striker was recently found guilty for conspiracy to blackmail in a French court. Benzema was charged alongside five other people with extorting former international teammate Mathieu Valbuena using a sex tape. The judge handed Benzema a suspended one-year sentence and ordered him to pay a €75,000 (R1.3million) fine.

Manchester City and France Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy is facing eights counts of sexual assault. Mendy allegedly committed these offences against five different women in England, and has been in custody since his arrest on 26 August. Mendy allegedly committed the offences between October 2020 and August 2021.

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Amazulu coach Benni McCarthy has demanded that he be respected for what he has achieved with the club.

McCarthy was speaking to the media via a virtual press conference after Usuthu were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Orlando Pirates.

As was reported in Sports Brief, the team opened the scoring early via Luvuyo Memela, before Orlando Pirates hit back with a brace from Kwame Peprah.