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Footballers Ashley Cole, John Terry and David Beckham have all been involved in sex scandals in the past - Source: Reuters -
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In the wake of news that France stars Frank Ribery and Karim Benzema are being placed under investigation for allegedly having sex with an under-aged prostitute, tvnz.co.nz looks at some of the other shocking sex scandals to hit football
10. Garrincha
As this little tale shows, sex scandals in football are nothing new.
Garrincha, also known as the "little bird", became infamous for his off-field conquests.
After lighting up the 1958 World Cup with Brazil, Garrincha returned to Sweden on tour where he got a local girl pregnant. On his return home he was greeted by angry supporters. He then ran over his father and was found drunk at the wheel with no recollection of the events.
Garrincha had eight children with his wife who he left for a samba singer, and is reported to have fathered 14 children!
9. The manager and the doctor's wife
After winning the FA Cup with Manchester United in 1977, then-manager Tommy Docherty had the football world at his feet as he made plans to challenge Liverpool for domestic glory - until he was sacked for having an affair with the physio's wife, a woman 18 years younger than himself.
Docherty told the press he was being punished for falling in love, but the United board were having none of it, sacking him for being in breach of his contract.
8. Peeping Edwards
After Manchester United were crowned the new champions of Europe in 1999, chairman Martin Edwards became one of the most powerful men in football. That was until he turned peeping tom and was cautioned by police for following a woman and spying on her while she was on the toilet.
Edwards, who had been married for 30 years, apologised for the incident and resigned from the Man United board soon after.
7. Wayne Rooney and the granny
Before he became a high-paid Manchester United ace (and England flop), Wayne Rooney was finding his way in the world playing for Everton and having sex with aging prostitutes.
Rooney, who was at the time dating his future wife, 16-year-old Coleen, was caught out visiting a brothel in Liverpool and then became known as the footballer who liked to visit grannys, after his conquest with a prostitute known as the "auld slapper" was revealed.
6. Two footballers, four women and a skirt
As if their careers weren't going down the drain enough, Manchester United's Mark Bosnich and Dwight Yorke caused a multitude of controversy when they indulged in a little off field action.
Former Aston Villa ace Yorke and Australian keeper Bosnich secretly filmed themselves with four women, capped off with the fact that, during the orgy, Bosnich was curiously wearing a skirt.
Yorke is then said to have thrown the sordid video tape in the bin where a pesky Sun reader found it and exposed the story to the world.
5. Ashley Young and the web
In 2007 Ashley Young brought a whole new meaning to a pre-match routine, showing a lot more skin than required when he was caught exposing himself on the internet.
The scandal was revealed in British tabloid The News of the World and told how the Astron Villa star had stripped and performed a sex act for a girl he had just met on the internet hours before he made his England international debut.
4. Ronaldo and the (wo)men
In 2008 Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldo caused a stir while recovering from injury in Brazil when it was revealed he had picked up three prostitutes after dropping his fiancee at home.
But to the three times World Player of the Year's surprised he discovered the women he was about to do the dirty with were actually men.
Ronaldo, who was reported to be "very excited and wanted to go out and have fun", is said to have offered money to buy the prostitutes' silence, but one of the transvestites demanded more money before exposing the whole lurid tale to the media.
3. Ashley Cole & everyone
Not content with having one of the most beautiful wives in the world in Cheryl Cole (Tweedy), Chelsea defender, and possibly the world's most unpopular footballer, Ashley Cole decided he wanted to have his cake and eat it - more than once.
Cole first became the subject of infidelity rumours two years after marrying the Girls Aloud star, but Cole denied he had cheated on Cheryl with a hairdresser just five months into their marriage and she stuck by her man.
But in 2010 Cole was at it again as sleazy rumours of affairs and explicit pictures of himself being sent to topless models were revealed. This time Cheryl decided Ashley's love was not worth fighting for and she swiftly filed for a divorce!
2. David Beckham & Rebecca Loos
In 2004 Rebecca Loos shocked the world when she claimed she had been having an affair with one of the world's cleanest cut, and seemingly family orientated footballers, David Beckham.
The former personal assistant of the then-England captain provided the media with raunchy details of their alleged four-month affair in a television interview, telling the world that she and Beckham used to send each other steamy texts up to 30 times a day.
After the Loos revelations, another woman, Sarah Marbeck, also claimed she had had an affair with the footballer known as "Golden Balls" while he was still at Manchester United.
Beckham has always denied the affairs, while his wife and mother of his three children, Victoria Beckham, also stood by her superstar husband.
1. John Terry & Wayne Bridge's missus
Football fans were also in for a shock in 2010 as John Terry, one of England and Chelsea's most influential players, was caught cheating on his wife with Vanessa Perroncel, an underwear model and ex-partner of former Stamford Bridge teammate Wayne Bridge - rumours also suggested he had got her pregnant and paid for her abortion.
Although his wife may have decided to give him "one more chance" the revelations did cost Terry the chance to lead England at the 2010 World Cup. The 29-year-old also lost the respect of many fans as they declared they were with "Team Bridge".
Terry also got his comeuppance live on TV when Bridge refused to shake his hand, or even acknowledge him, when Chelsea met Manchester City in a Premier League clash a few weeks later.
