Footballers and the cars they drive

Being one of the best footballers in the world comes with its own perks and benefits, not to mention stardom and money. As Premier League clubs line up to sign such players, their bank balance grows umpteen times, thus enabling them to spend as much as they desire. Cars are something that has always been a means to judge the stardom and the money of these athletes. They spend huge sums of money to buy the best car there is and flaunt a style statement of their own. With Euro Cup being the latest rage in the footballing world, here is a look at the cars of some of the most revered players in the charts.

The first name that comes to mind when one thinks of Euro Cup is Christiano Ronaldo. The skipper of the Portuguese national football team also plays for the Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid as a striker. He has been playing impressively over last few years and has been the Footballer of the Year in the past. Speaking of cars, the only car that does justice to this ace footballer's stardom is a Bugatti Veyron. Hence, it is not surprising that he has ordered one for himself at USD 1.6 million. Besides this, other cars in Ronaldo's fleet are equally impressive, such as a USD 443,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé, Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Lamborghini Aventador and Bentley Continental GT Speed. And there is also an Audi R8, presented to him by the German car maker under an endorsement deal and the famous Ferrari 599 GTB which he crashed in the proximity of Manchester airport.

Next name that pops into the mind is Wayne Rooney, who is one of the highest scorers in the world and plays for England and Manchester United. He also became the youngest player ever to represent England after making his début in 2003. With the massive wages that he receives from his club and a large number of endorsement deals, his payroll allows him to spend a huge sum and own the best cars. His collection of cars includes an imported Cadillac Escalade, a BMW X5, and an Aston Martin Vanquish S. The crown of his collection is a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder. He also owns an Audi RS6 wagon, which is the fastest wagon in the world.

After Christiano Ronaldo, Italy's Mario Balotelli is the next bad boy in the neighbourhood. He is nicknamed 'Super Mario' by his fans and plays as a striker for his club Manchester City. This 21-year-old has struck it rich to become an instant millionaire with a weekly payroll of £1,25,000 and yearly salary of £5,356,000, along with the millions that he earns through endorsements. Being a typical youngster who has achieved overnight stardom and is earning a massive package, he loves to indulge quite a lot. With cars being an important part of his lifestyle, he has invested in an Audi R8 which he crashed. He then bought a Maserati and Bentley Continental GT. His Bentley Continental GT has over £10,000 worth of parking tickets, which indicates his carefree attitude.

Another football player with a classy collection of cars is Liverpool captain and English national player Steven Gerrard. He owns a respectable collection that boasts of names like Porsche 911 Turbo, Mercedes SLK, Aston Martin Vanquish, Bentley Continental GTC and a Range Rover Sport HST. One of the best known names in the world of football, he is also the proud owner of BMW X5 and Jaguar XKR.