Kevin Prince Boateng Reveals Details About His Wild Lifestyle During Tottenham Spell

Kevin Prince Boateng was tipped for great things when he joined Tottenham back in 2007, but the midfielder has never really found his home in football.

The 29-year-old has played for the likes of Hertha BSC, Borussia Dortmund, Portsmouth, AC Milan and Schalke during his career, but his longest spell with a club was for just three years, when he made 74 appearances for Milan.

Boateng, who now plays in La Liga for Las Palmas, took part in a fascinating interview with the Guardian earlier this week and the results are certainly intriguing

Boateng has spoken about his time at White Hart Lane and how his lavish lifestyle eventually caught up with him.

"Every night I was out until six. I was like 95 kilos, swollen from the drinking and bad food. I said: 'This can't be me, I don't want to be that guy. I have something inside: I'm a football player.' I called my friends, two real friends, and they came. Together, we cleaned out my fridge and the house.

"That day, I said: 'No, stop it.' I didn't drink. I didn't go out. I started cooking; I wanted to eat healthily. From one day to the next." Boateng clicks his fingers. "If I did it slowly, maybe I wouldn't do it. I needed a clean break."

Boateng

Boateng only made 14 appearances for Tottenham during his two year stay in England, and when Tottenham manager Martin Jol reportedly told him he that he wasn't right for the club, he decided to spend, spend spend:

"I was spending serious amounts: nightclubs, clothes, cars." Three in one day, the story goes. "True," he says. "Because you try to buy happiness. I couldn't play football so I buy a Lamborghini. Wow, you're happy for a week. After that you don't even use it."

"Who drives around Loughton in a Lamborghini? I still have a picture: three cars, big house, I'm standing there like I'm 50 Cent. I look at it sometimes and say: 'Look how stupid you were.' But that made me who I am and I can look back and see it. I've learned. I grew up."

(AC Milan - what could have been...)

Boateng

Boateng looks to have finally found a home in La Liga with Las Palmas, scoring six goals in 13 games for Los Amarillos.

(H/T: Guardian)

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare is a writer at SPORTbible. He's interviewed some of the biggest names in sport, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pele, Carles Puyol and Tim Henman. He dabbles in all things sport but football is his biggest passion. He was once hit in the head by a wayward strike from Nicky Butt and lived to tell the tale.

@jackkenmare_