Former Wigan Athletic and Premier League defender Ronnie Stam has been sentenced to 7 years in prison in the Netherlands for his role in a €41.5M cocaine trafficking operation and €2.6M money laundering scheme.
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| Ronnie Stam sentenced to 7 years in behind bars 🤦🏾 |
🕵️♂️ How It Happened
Dutch prosecutors revealed that Stam was part of a criminal network involved in trafficking 724kg of cocaine — one of the largest drug seizures in the region.
💬 Investigators cracked encrypted messages, tracked shipments from Brazil, and even found £85,000 in cash during raids.
🔍 Initially facing 13 years, Stam’s sentence was reduced after some charges were dropped. He still admitted to smuggling 20kg but denied deeper involvement.
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⚽ From Pitch to Prison
🏆 Career Highlights: Eredivisie champion with FC Twente (2009/10) and FA Cup winner with Wigan Athletic in 2013.
🇧🇪 Played in Belgium for Standard Liège before returning to his boyhood club NAC Breda.
👟 Retired in 2016 with over 300 professional appearances.
At Wigan, Stam played a key role during their Premier League years and cup runs, showing consistent defensive grit.
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📉 Fall From Grace
Reports suggest Stam may have struggled with financial pressures, gambling debts, and addiction issues after retirement — factors that possibly pushed him toward crime.
💣 His transformation from a top-flight defender to a convicted trafficker is a stark reminder of the challenges athletes can face after their playing days end.
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💭 90minsgist Take
This case highlights a brutal truth — no career, no matter how glamorous, is immune to collapse if poor choices and bad influences take hold.
It also raises a big question: Are football clubs doing enough to prepare players for life after football?
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📢 Your Turn
What’s your take on Ronnie Stam’s shocking downfall?
Could this have been prevented with better post-career support?
👇 Drop your comments below and let’s talk about it!
⚡ Follow @90minsgist for more breaking football stories, in-depth analysis, and no-holds-barred opinions.
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