Former Arsenal and Ivory Coast defender Emmanuel Eboué has spoken publicly about the devastating aftermath of his divorce, revealing that the legal settlement left him with nothing and that he remains estranged from his three children.
The 42-year-old made the disclosures during an appearance on The 5th House Podcast, where he described in detail how his marriage to Aurelie Bertrand ended in financial ruin.
Eboué, who was a key figure in Arsenal’s squad during the mid-2000s, said the divorce settlement resulted in the loss of all his UK-based assets, including three properties and multiple vehicles.
“I lost a lot. To be honest, I don’t want to say how much but it was a lot. I lost everything in England because that’s where I did everything in my career. I bought three houses there, I had a lot of cars. All of them, I lost it,” he said.
The former Champions League finalist also addressed criticism he received over his choice of partner, with some suggesting he deserved his misfortune for not marrying within his own culture. He rejected that view firmly, stating that his decisions were driven by genuine commitment.
“I married for love. When I stay with someone, I give my 100%, I don’t cheat. I try my best to make sure the person is happy. She gave me three kids,” he said.
Beyond the financial losses, Eboué revealed that he has been unable to maintain contact with his children. He said their mother refuses to share recent photographs, and that messages he sends to his children go unanswered despite being read.
“Every day I pray for my kids. I pray that one day I will see them. Up till now, I don’t have any recent pictures. When I ask for new pictures from their mother, she refuses to give it to me. I have their numbers, I send them messages every time. I don’t know if they are the ones who read it but I see that the messages are opened and they don’t answer. It’s very tough,” he said.
Eboué, who has since remarried, acknowledged that he has largely rebuilt his life but said the absence of his children remains his greatest pain.
“To be honest, I have my life back now. But the one thing that is missing is my kids.”
