How Former England Striker Emile Heskey Went From £12m Net Worth to ‘Declared Bankrupt’

In conclusion, Emile Heskey had a successful playing career with teams like Liverpool and England.
At one point in his life, Heskey was thought to be worth £12 million, but he filed for bankruptcy in 2024.
Heskey invested in a celebrity tax scheme and ended up in financial difficulty.
At times, football can be a glamorous profession where those at the top of the game can achieve fame and money. However, individuals who question players’ salaries occasionally overlook how fleeting careers are.

In the best-case scenario, football players have twenty years to maximise their abilities in order to receive financial compensation. This encompasses the years when they are reaching their peak and the years when their inevitable decline begins, both of which have an impact on their finances. In actuality, most people might only be able to fully utilise their skills for ten years.

Making the necessary lifestyle changes after a career ends and money runs out can be challenging, and many people experience financial difficulties as a result. Emile Heskey, a former striker for Liverpool and England, was one player for whom this applied. After ending his playing career, Heskey was forced to declare bankruptcy, despite having achieved the highest level of English football and even scoring in one of his nation’s most renowned victories.

Emile Heskey Financial Troubles Explained

The former striker was once believed to be worth £12 million

Despite having a career that saw him play for teams like Leicester City, Liverpool, and Aston Villa and earn over 60 caps for the Three Lions, The Sun reported in January 2024 that Heskey was in danger of becoming bankrupt, even though he was thought to be worth £12 million in 2009. Heskey’s problems began when he joined a “celebrity investment scheme,” which resulted in his owing the taxman more than £1.5 million.

Consequently, HMRC launched a High Court insolvency petition against him, and it was discovered that he had failed to pay £92,000 in taxes when he was employed as a football development officer from 2017 to 2020. This resulted in him having to pay a £42,000 fine.

Ingenious Media operated the alleged Heskey scheme, and it is also alleged that other well-known figures like musician Robbie Williams and David Beckham made comparable investments. Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard have also previously been connected to the plot.

Heskey followed in the footsteps of other football legends like former Manchester United defender Wes Brown when it was announced in August 2024 that he had filed for bankruptcy. The discharge date of the order is August 19, 2025.

Heskey’s Footballing Career

The former striker still works in football

Heskey began his career at Leicester City, where he rose from the youth squad to become a dynamic young striker. He won two League Cups for the Foxes and scored 10 goals in each of his first two full Premier League seasons. He later made his senior England debut during that time, substituting in a friendly match against Hungary in 1999.

He made his big transfer to Liverpool the following year, where he made 223 appearances and scored 60 goals, the most of any player in his career. Heskey won an FA Cup, UEFA Cup, European Super Cup, and Community Shield at Anfield in addition to another two League Cup titles. These would be the final awards he would receive in his professional life.

Heskey failed to regain the form that made him such an attractive young player after being traded to Birmingham City after four years on Merseyside. He would soon be sent to Wigan Athletic, where he experienced a minor comeback and regained his place in the England squad.

A spell at Aston Villa would be his last at the top level, before a move to Australia and a short stint at Bolton marked the end of his playing career. He has remained in football since, though, taking a surprising role as head of women’s football development at Leicester, as well as acting as the assistant manager for the England under-18s. He currently works as a forwards coach for Macclesfield FC, a side managed by former Birmingham City and Blackburn Rovers midfielder Robbie Savage.