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There are some footballers whose reputation has always preceded their talent, some who have wasted a chance of glory due to persistent ill discipline and making the wrong decisions and some who had such a gift for football that no matter they did off the pitch they will be fondly remembered for their achievements as footballers.

So for every Mbulelo Mabizela (above) there is an Eric Cantona.

Two of the world's greatest ever players, Diego Maradona and George Best led famously controversial and often illegal lifestyles.

However, for every high there is a low. In the case of several footballers, that meant taking their own lives or being caught in the wrong time at the wrong place as was the case for tragic Colombian star Andrés Escobar Saldarriaga in 1994.

Here in no particular order is a list of the 50 most troubled stars to have played professional football.