'I have properties' - I rebuilt my life after my wife took my money and houses in England - Emmanuel Eboue

Former Arsenal and Ivory Coast defender Emmanuel Eboue has disputed claims that he has slipped into poverty following his divorce.

Pulse Sports reported Eboue was amongst a number of high-profile footballers who lost huge sums of money after their divorce.

In 2017, Eboue was involved in a legal battle with his ex-wife Aurelie,  ultimately losing the case and ultimately forced to give up some of his assets.

Eboue was later quoted by Sunday Mirror, where he described himself as poor and homeless, a publication which went viral and triggered widespread reactions.

However, Eboue has suggested that he might have been misunderstood following the reports that followed subsequently after his divorce.

“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's divorce happened when he was trying to pick himself back up from a one-year football ban after reportedly failing to pay a former agent.

“After that [divorce case], I left and returned back to Africa. I have my own properties in Africa and so I live with that," the former Ivory Coast international  added.

“When I hear people say Emmanuel Eboue lost everything, I laugh. I have properties in Ghana, I have properties in my home country.

“I live very comfortably and I thank God. So when people keep talking and say Emmanuel Eboue doesn’t have anything, he can’t eat, doesn’t have a place to stay, it’s not true."

Eboue featured for Arsenal in the heart of the defence between 2004 and 2011 after arriving the Premier League from Belgian club Beveren.

He went on to sign for Turkish giants Galatasaray before moving back to England to sign for Sunderland.

However, Eboue’s deal at the Stadium of Light was cut short after just one month as he was hit with a one-year ban and had to stay away from football.

At international level, Eboue made 79 appearances for Cote d'Ivoire and represented the Elephants at the 2006 and 2010 World Cup tournaments.