Super Eagles legend Victor Moses’ ex-teammate imprisoned for seven years

Former Wigan Athletic defender Ronnie Stam, who once shared a dressing room with Nigerian icon Victor Moses, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a major drug smuggling operation.

The 41-year-old was found guilty of trafficking hundreds of kilos of cocaine into the Netherlands, along with other illegal substances.

Ronnie Stam’s football career saw him lift the Dutch Eredivisie title with FC Twente under Steve McClaren before making 73 appearances for Wigan between 2010 and 2013.

He later played for Standard Liège and NAC Breda before retiring in 2016. However, his post-football life took a dark turn.

The Dutch Public Prosecution Service described Stam as a significant player in organised crime, charging him with attempts to smuggle £48m worth of cocaine, a staggering 2,217 kilos, into the country.

While he was cleared of the most serious charges, the court found him guilty of smuggling 724kg of cocaine, along with MDMA and possession of 18 litres of nitrous oxide.

Authorities also linked him to attempts to transport 20kg of cocaine from South America and laundering £2m in illegal funds.

In court, Stam admitted his role in a failed plot to smuggle 20kg of cocaine from Brazil to Frankfurt, claiming he would have been paid the value of one kilo.

He expressed regret for associating with criminals, but the damage to his freedom and reputation was already done. Alongside his prison term, Stam has been ordered to repay £1.7m in illegal earnings.

The former Dutch international’s fall from grace stands in stark contrast to the heights of his footballing career, where he once played alongside Premier League stars and shared the pitch with Victor Moses in one of Wigan’s most competitive eras.